A Symbolic Analysis of the Islamic Period Gravestones in the Ahar Museum

Abstract

The Ahar city not only has a large number of historical cemeteries but also the courtyard of the city’s museum has one of the richest Islamic-era gravestone collections. These gravestones date to the thirteenth-eighteenth centuries and have been collected from inside the city as well as from surrounding villages. The present study analyzes these gravestones based on a symbolic approach. In this paper, we will answer the question: What are the symbolic meanings of the decorations on the Ahar Museum gravestones? We conclude that various motifs appear, including inscriptions, geometric designs, and allegorical, military, and narrative scenes. These motifs directly relate to the beliefs of the people who created them.