Muqarnas

For the academic journal, see Muqarnas (journal).

Muqarnas as seen from below in the iwan entrance to the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran (17th century)
Muqarnas dome in the Sala de Dos Hermanas at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain (14th century)

Muqarnas (Arabic: مقرنص; Persian: مقرنس, or Persian: آهوپای, romanized: ahoopāy), also known in Iberian architecture as Mocárabe (from Arabic: مقربص, romanized: muqarbaṣ), is a form of three-dimensional decoration in Islamic architecture in which rows or tiers of niche-like elements are projected over others below.[1] It is an archetypal form of Islamic architecture, integral to the vernacular of Islamic buildings,[2][3] and typically featured in domes and vaults, as well as iwans, entrance portals, or other niches.[3] It is sometimes referred to as "honeycomb vaulting"[4] or "stalactite vaulting".[1]

The muqarnas structure originated from the squinch. Its purpose is to create a smooth, decorative zone of transition in an otherwise bare, structural space. This structure gives the ability to distinguish between the main parts of a building and serves as a transition from the walls of a square or rectangular room to a round dome or vault above it.[5][3] Muqarnas could also form entire vaults and domes.[6] From below, these compositions can create an elaborate visual effect based on the interplay of light and shadow across the surfaces sculpted into three-dimensional patterns.[1]

Muqarnas most likely first developed in eleventh-century Iraq, though the earliest preserved examples are also found outside this region.[7][1] As the technique became widespread in the 12th century, regional styles and variations developed across the Islamic world.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e Bloom, Jonathan M.; Blair, Sheila S., eds. (2009). "Muqarnas". The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture. Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. pp. 25–28. ISBN 9780195309911.
  2. ^ Stephennie, Mulder (2014). The Shrines of the 'Alids in Medieval Syria : sunnis, shi'is and the architecture of coexistence. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748645794. OCLC 929836186.
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference :16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ VirtualAni website. "Armenian architecture glossary". Retrieved 2009-07-17.
  5. ^ Bloom, Jonathan M. (1988). "The Introduction of the Muqarnas into Egypt". Muqarnas. 5: 21–28. doi:10.2307/1523107. JSTOR 1523107.
  6. ^ Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History, Revised 2nd Edition. p. 312.
  7. ^ Tabbaa, Yasser (1985). "The Muqarnas Dome: Its Origin and Meaning". Muqarnas. 3: 61–74. doi:10.2307/1523084. ISSN 0732-2992. JSTOR 1523084.