The Zawiya and Shrine Ensemble of Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili: A Sufi Analysis

Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili is the founder of the Safavid Sufi order, the spiritual father of modern Iran, and the ancestor of the Safavid dynasty. His shrine ensemble is of significance; it is a masterful artistic physical manifestation of the Shaykh’s Sufi order and teachings. The shrine ensemble is one of the most significant architectural and decorative Sufi monuments. It had a crucial role in the establishment of the Safavid dynasty and the creation of the culture and heritage of the Safavid period. This thesis has illustrated the sacred central position of the shrine ensemble for the Safavids, as evidenced by their expansions, renovations, visits, and endowments. In this thesis, art historical methodology has been used to examine and analyse the shrine ensemble’s historical context, function, architecture, and decorations. Moving beyond an aesthetic description, a novel approach to the analysis and interpretation of the shrine ensemble has been employed in this thesis. A detailed interpretative reading of the inner aspects of the architecture and decoration of the shrine ensemble have been conducted through the application of hermeneutic methodology and synoptic approach to the decorative motifs and artistic elements. This has been coupled with the application of Sufi and Islamic philosophy commentaries. By examining and interpreting the decorative motifs, it has illustrated how they have enhanced the function of each location and are conceptually interrelated. The decorations of the shrine ensemble have been shown to be dynamically propagating the teachings of the Quran and Sufism. Importantly, the research methodology and approach developed in this thesis can be applied to other Islamic religious monuments, expanding avenues for future Islamic art history research.<p></p>

Author dc:creator

• Hasti Safavi (21037850)

• Ardabil
• Hermeneutic
• History of art
• Iranian art
• Islamic art
• Islamic philosophy
• Persian art
• Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili
• Sufism

Statement dc:rights

• CC BY-NC-ND
• Open Access after 2027-10-27

Identifier

10779/exe.32113414.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/32113414