Islamic Architecture Ilkhanate, Mongol World View

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Islamic Architecture, and the Ilkhanid,

Is there a Mongolian world view,

By Mr. Robert L Silva II.M.A

For Dr. Baur-Kavuri for Islamic Art and Architecture,

Spring 2011

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The major influence of Ilkhanid cultural could be influenced by the descendants of the

Mongolia, Tamerlane. The Little Khans as they were known as they once ruled over the territory

now known as Iran.

Why did the Ilkhanid, or the Kings, rule over the Sassanid Empire?

Trade was refuse to the Tamerlane or the Great Khan of Heaven.

What was the Sassanid Empire?

Was the Empire between the Greek eras and finally conquered by the Arabs. They had the state

religion of Zoroastrianism and a priesthood to promote it. The goal of this Empire was to remove

Archimedean influences of the Greeks. There empire lasted 224 C.E to 651 CE. The practice of

Zoroastrian and fire temples could have established the Throne of Solomon.

The myth and history of Ilkhanid in Iran

The reason Genghis Khan attacked the Islamic World because indigent reply of

Tamerlanes ambassador asking for trade; his head returned in a basket to Karkartoum after

contacting the Sassanid Empire in 1227.1 Karkartoum was the town Genghis Khan created and

was going to be the center of trade in his empire and world.2 The indigent reply promoted the

conquering of the Islamic Empire. Tamerlane- Genghis Khan- wanted to create a trade regime

1 Carey Moya, The Illustrated Encyclopedia Islamic Art and Architecture, ComprehensiveHistory of Islam 1,400 year legacy, of Art and Design, with 500 Color Photographs,Reproductions, and Fine Art Paintings Lorenz Books 2010, p.1532 Video

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making the city Karkartoum the center.3 The Mongolians after the conquest move all the great

and talented craftsmens to Karkartoum, making it the center of Pax Mongolia. The question was

the Islamic artist influence by the Khan or was it a fusion. By results in the Shahnamas we see

script with figurative drawing. This is self evident. The notion is that the Mongolians adopted

Persian Royal practices, that were not considered Islamic.

The practice of Persian Kings, the Shahnama

The history of the books of the kings, the word Shah is actually from the Persian Empire

for ruler or king. The name of the Shah, this book was usually used for the documentation of

great deeds and accomplishments and wise edicts of the king of the era. The Ilkhanate rulers

adopt different practices such as Chinese medicine, folklores and uses of botanical items this was

emergence and appropriation of the medium of books from Persian practices to Mongolian

practices. 4

Huglagu established an Empire and dynasty from Maragha to Takht-i- Sulayman. The

Little Khans ruled and looked west at the Franks for spreading into greener lands. The Franco-

Mongol Pax was formed against the Islamic Empire. Ilkhante Empire was subordinate to a seat

in China that the Great Khan sat. This territory was influenced by the Chinese during this time

until a Sultan from the Jalayrid dynasty of Tabriz exerted influence.5

3 Ibid4 Carey Moya, Islamic Art and Architecture Lorenz Books, p.1585Carey Moya, The Illustrated Encyclopedia Islamic Art and Architecture, ComprehensiveHistory of Islam 1,400 year legacy, of Art and Design, with 500 Color Photographs,Reproductions, and Fine Art Paintings Lorenz Books 2010, p.152

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The importance of this timeline is the world view of the Genghis Khan is manifesting in

spaces thus architecture, this means buildings, mosaics, crafts and art. Does the Islamic world

view manifest under Genghis Khan or does Genghis Khan manifest through the Islamic culture?

The emergence of understanding is about how the practices are put in place and how a society

creates order in daily habits and maybe leisure or survival.

The notion of building of objects and weapons shows how the civilization sees the

world.6 This is to argue the assumptions how Huglagu and Tamerlane would build and would

this be from a pure Mongol understanding of the world their metaphor of conscious, which is

manifested in the language of symbols, and icons, and then constructions of the buildings. The

notion is to study architecture is to study how a society or individual builds structures and

objects, objects being the most primal categorization.

The argument could be the Tamerlane was influence by the Chinese or the Greeks? Was

the Mongolians a mix ethnic identity of descendants of Arcadians and the Chinese or Hindu.

Did Alexanders army marry Chinese or Hindu women? This could be supported in zoo-

morphology of clan symbols and practices. Did the Alexandrians create cloth called felt- from

fur and sheep pelts and use the stars as constellations to travel to land destination, have flocks of

domestic animals such as sheep so did the Mongolians. In the Shahhamas this practice could be

emerging from past experiences to the age they were created to the present as we read them.

6Zur Ofer, the Psychohistory of Warfare: The Co-evolution of Culture, Psyche, and EnemyJournal of Peace Research Vol. 24 No.2 Jun 1987

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In the book The Court of the IL-Khans 1290-1340 7 Abolala Soudavar article articulates

Hugalu exploitations and deeds and accomplishments. This article also explains the Hugalu

explain his construction methods, and medicine as they call alchemy and magic. This Shahnama

contains the secret history of the Mongols. The manuscript begins with Alexander coming out of

the darkness. I cannot discern if it is referring to Alexander the Great or another. Picture Below

7 Raby Julian, Fitzherbert Teresa, The Court of the Il Khan, Oxford University, The Saga ofAbu Said Bahador Khan, The Abu-Saidname, Abolala Soudavar; 1994, Conference of IslamicArt and History St Johns College, pg 95-158

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In figure 29 Alexander battling the Fur of India on page 134 this picture above. The

notion of the Chariot is assert and the Arcadians that follow Alexander, Alexander did use

Chariots in battle in India. He lost. The image of the horse with wheels is a metaphor and icon to

represent a man on a chariot this could allude that the secret history of the Mongols start with

Alexander the great, then the Arcadian practices and concept manifested through the ages.

The speculation on the myth to assert pathologies to architecture and art

practices.

The notion of the dark space could be Alexanders retreat out of India because of the lack

of seeing certain stars in the sky for guidance. The lack of seeing the North Star in India

undiscovered country. This is speculation and food for thought and another metaphor I using to

assert to thinking. Alexander lost the battle in India then retreated back to the west. This is all

speculation on folklore and stories based on mythical historical. The notion of Arcadian or

Greek cultural was done through Abu Said works of the secret history of the Mongols.

The Gnostic religious notions could come from the Hindu or reform Hindu notions called

Buddhism the Manicheans with nihilist undertones. There is nothing to support the cause of

psychic impression just darkness and darkness swallow us is an allegory. There is no god in that

object. The Greeks were Zoroastrian or Polytheist, but the use of fire in ceremonies could be

Manichean in nature mixture of Zoroastrian practices and gnostic found in Buddhism. The flame

could represent the person psychic aura in the cold empty world. The human is the prime mover

but is extinguish. The Persians had fire practices in religious practices. The Mitra or Apollo cults

could be the predecessor to Manichaeism. The notion we create the light, as the sun enters the

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heart and god manifest through the person. The human imbues the psychic impression in words,

and images and sculptures.

The creation of the Mongolian army was no different how the Greeks form a great army

through different clans to conquer as Darius the Persian king did. If I support these notions does

it support a Mongolian World View or metaphor consciousness or is the practice at hand enough

to say it is Mongolian. The Persian world and the Greek fused and separate from the Islamic

revolution but the Islamic movement conquered both eras then the coming of the Mongol to Iran.

Iran was historically Persian. The goal is to find a pure Mongolia object to juxtapose against the

Throne of Suilimon.

The complexity of this endeavor is Persian practices and Zoroastrian existed in Iran and

Iraq but the Islamic reality was the world view in the region of the time of Tamerlanes

conquering through Hugulo. Then what was the Islamic metaphor of consciousness? This will be

explored and compared to the architecture of Islamic practices to the Takht I Suiliman. The

conundrum is if the Mongols practices are Greek and Buddhist which was influence by the

Persians and Hindus. How old was the Persian fire temple, did the Mongols choose it because

they recognized it as ancient ruins of ancestors practices.

Arcadian influence which was a vehicle of Persian and Hindu practices,

The causal chain of emergence of human psychic energy as prime mover and no absolute

god could be, Xerxes in Egypt, learned secrets of the Temple of Seth or Typhoon could have

collided with the Greeks as they enter Egypt. Judeans created the temple of Solomon which was

the descendents that lived in Egypt and exiled to Ursalem. Solomans temple could be a

manifestation of the Temple of Osris that emerged from the Temple of Seth, the colliding with

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the Greeks. Judeans were casted out of Egypt and created the Temple of Solomon in Ursalem8

the capital of the Orisian practice and became a religion which promoted an imperial practice in

Ur. 9

The later argument is that Takh i Sulaymen has the ruins of the temple of the man with in

the walls. Thus has Christian or Egyptian, -Judean- influences, which the Persians did adopt

some practices and could have replicated practices. Who built the temple there is the question.

The Christian reformation came from the Rome which emerged from the Greeks which

promoted Christianity which was influence by Mitra cults. The cults of personality or human ego

projection as we see with Apollo cults, that project emotional energy projections by the imbuing

of psychic impression and feeling into body gestures and words.10. The Persians have the same

metaphor in their articulation in Zoroastrianism. The Eastern Byzantine Empire ruled over the

region where Islamic reformation began. Then Islamic reformation conquered Persia. Then

Mongols conquered Islam in historical Persian regions. The new capital of the practice of

Abrahamic religions was Mecca, thus all the Qibla walls create a circle around Mecca and all

bow to that the new political center. The temple of Soloman in Jerusalem has a Qibla type

wall.11This has a design no different than Roman coliseums or the model of the universe,-Mecca

center of the Universe-. Christian practices emerged from Judean practices of David, Orthodox

Jewish practice Zoroastrians or Sumerian, the Islamic practice could be emerged from

Christianity which emerged from Orisian practice because of temple construction. But does the

8 Summer David, Real Spaces World Art History the Rise of Western Modernism Phaidon PgPg 205-213Ursalen is Jerasalem , and the Temple of Man is Orisian temple of resurrection, based of theCult of Setah, Christianity and other religions could be emerging from them. 9 Summer David, Real Spaces World Art History the Rise of Western Modernism Phaidon Pg140-151 and Pg 205-2131011 Ibid.

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Mosque have the temple of the man design, no. The Mongols in Ilkhanid territory adopted

Persian Royal culture this is assumed not Islamic Royal culture because Islam is more Arab

based.12So the Persian cultural could be suited as normal to Mongols and accepted it as not

strange or alien because of historical interactions and fusions of tribes and clans folk traditions.

The notion of constellation on Islamic building could correspond to Mecca the center and

the night sky. Is the creation of zodiac in the sky adopted from earlier practices then practiced by

Islamic leaders. This was a Greek practice and also traders of the silk road used to travel with as

a guide. The Islamic Imperial regime was about promoting trade and universal regulations and

laws. The later Empires have zodiac symbols on them was this the influence of the Persian

Royal practice employed by the later Mongolian leaders thus promoting a Mongol world view

and understanding. The constellation was method of travel and the sky was the map leading to

different trade posts of worlds, which would be areas.

The method to support Alexandrian or Archimedean practices and Buddhist and Hindu

fusion of practices in the Mongolian is to look at method of living creation of spaces, use of

resources and visual expressions. David Summers looks at the space with ritual and practice, thus

how does the cultural utilize the space? Dr. Summers calls it social relationship and ritualize

performed in the space. Can this support who created the space

This could be supported or disproved through the manuscripts the Mongolian leaders

created. Most of the manuscripts are historical accounts of Huglagu.

12 Silva Robert: Myth and Realities of Iranian Identity constructions, Published andpresented through Dr.Monshipouris Middle East Studies class, identity studies San FranciscoState University. 2008.

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The secret history of the Mongolians appropriated the use of Shahnama. The social

relation of the relic manuscript is the king expressing history and practices to other kings and the

people and method of norm diffusion.13

In the Chapter Iran after the Mongols Invasions, argue that Ilkhanid leaders followed the

practices of Seljuk Era around Baghdad14. The other scholar argues that the Mongolian leaders

adopted Persian Royal culture. Is it the same?

The paper is about defining Islamic enclosure or Mosque in essence temple to compare to

the Takh I Suilimen it is define as secular is it Mongolian or Persian and does it have Islamic

architecture construction practices and designs.

The purpose of this paper is to look at the Takht I Suiliman, which I could argue the

Temple of Orsis, and what Jesus called the Temple of the Man. Jesus describes the head is where

he sat and body is the church. Solomons temple is Egyptian. It is self-evident from a formalist

observation and critique will support this assumption from juxtaposition and analysis. That a

temple that looks like a man exists in the walls. I will not argue that the intention through

historical text which promotes intention exist, and if the Mongolian leaders did it with purpose.

The Takht I Suiliman is considered surviving secular Ilkhanid architecture in history.15

The notion of the temple of man or Orisis which can refer to Christianity and the temple of

Soloman negates this notion.

13 Sikkick and Finnemore,1415Carey Moya, The Illustrated Encyclopedia Islamic Art and Architecture, ComprehensiveHistory of Islam 1,400 year legacy, of Art and Design, with 500 Color Photographs,Reproductions, and Fine Art Paintings Lorenz Books 2010, p.154

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I will try to explain if the Throne of Suilimun is considered Islamic or not, the notion of

early Christianity is Gnostic in teachings does this promote secular, is not important for this

discourse. The reformation of the Byzantine Empire which was Christian to Islamic practices is

because of the world view manifesting in creation of objects and space. Is the Islamic world view

manifesting in the creation of the Throne of Sulaymun or is it Mongolian or more Gnostic and

not Western influence which Mongolians understood.

I will try to support if the Art and Architecture is Islamic or not I will do this by creating

ontology of major characteristics of Islamic Art and Architectures from past Islamic Empires and

civilizations. This will be done through icons, practices of building and construction material

used, and based layout of mosques.

Islamic Structure Design

This section I will explain the part of the mosque and use David Summers, notions of

social spaces and the use of the enclosure for the cultural. That not all enclosures are used for

shelter, but some are used for other purposes.16 The mosque has a different social relationship

for the group. Plus, places with in the mosque also are differentiated and certain and separated by

caste in the community. This is to mean certain spaces only an ordained or chosen individual

may enter. This gets into David Summers notions social order creates distinction in the use of the

enclosure or space.17 This gets into social spaces that the space is utilized by a specific for ritual

or practice. Why is this important to understanding the difference between Islamic cultural

spaces and Mongolian cultural spaces is how the community uses the create space.

16 Summers David Real Spaces World Art History to the Modern Era Phiadon p 11717 Ibid p.23

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The Mongolian and even Islamic cultural adopts established enclosures and architectural

practices-how to design a building-. Then appropriates past techniques and pastiches of design

but the enclosure how it is used promotes different a different culture. This is to argue social

spaces can define the cultural with similar architecture practices.

In this section I will define the main parts of the mosque and following the tradition of

David Summers begin to explain practices in each space in the mosque.

The Qibla is the wall that faces Mecca. Mecca is where the Rock of the dome lays, and all

mosques are directed to the center which is Mecca. The Dome of the Rock is octagonal building

with a Dome. The angle of the Qibla wall corresponds with position of Mecca and Kaba stone,

the octagonal shape helps the viewer understands how each Mosque fits into the universe that

radiates through world with the word at the center were the Dome of Rock sits. This get into

stars and constellations but I will speculate this thought later in the conclusion.

The Dikka is a wooden platform that is in position with the Minhrab which is in the same

direction as the Qibla wall that is position to be in line in with Mecca. The wooden platform is

for a special ordain person to stand a address the crowd this has to do with social ordering, and

purpose of the Dikka.

Musalia is a prayer hall this where worshippers sit and pray. This space is position to face

the Dikka which is in line with the Minhrab that is in line with Qibla that is facing Mecca. This

space is for the community to sit and hear and perform certain rituals. The rituals define the

space and space is design for the ritual.

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Mihrab this is ornamental indention marks the direction of the Qiblah wall.

In this picture above is to demonstrate the Qibla, Mihrab and Dikka relationship to the

other parts of the Mosque. As you can see in the picture above the Dome of the Rock is in line

with the Qibla wall and Mihrab and Dikka represents ordering and connectivity between Mecca

and the outer Mosque. The other part of the building does not need to fall in line but can be built

at an angle. This argument of Islamic enclosure could be about spatial layout of landmarks in the

enclosure could support the cultural identity of designer of the space. If the building has this

layout it could be Islamic but must follow the layout according to the Dome of the Rock as the

center.

Minbar, is a raised platform in the mosque where sermons and speeches are given it is the pulpit.

The social relationship to the community is that the person gives the speech which would be the

Imam. It can be place anywhere to address a crowd.

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Minaret is a tower outside the mosque that is an appropriation of Persian Fire temple towers and

roman watch towers. The purpose of the Minaret is a local landmark.18 The social purpose of this

was to gather people by calling from the minaret so people can hear the adhan or the call to

prayer in the mosque. The person that used the Minaret is a muezzin. The modern Minaret is

decorative but still has the purpose of gather the Muslim to meet with the Umma in the Mosque.

Shoe shelves a place to place the believers shoes because no shoes in the mosque praying areas.

There are no shoes in the Mosque area because being in a desert it is reasonable to think the dust

would ruin the experience being in line with Mecca and a part of a convergence with others

around the Kaba stone.

The notion of constellations can be seen in the geospatial layout of Mosques relationship to

Mecca and the dome of the rock. Laura Sjolberg a Political Science Phd believes geospatial

realities are important to creation of political and economic systems that political and economic

systems emerge because of geospatial realities. Robert Silva M.A an International Relations

scholar argues archetypes drive the creation of the institutions to create the inner vision of the

individual and cultural complex in the world. I will have to argue creating the zodiac on earth

with buildings and replicating light with sound is subconscious collective unconscious desire to

18 Frishhman Martin, Islam and the form of the Mosque The Mosque History, ArchitecturalDevelopment Regional Diversity, London Thames, 1994, pg. 40

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create heaven on earth.

This diagram above I hope will visual explain how the mosque is laid to physical relationships to

Mecca and the dome the Rock. This can explain the social relationship in a sense the octagonal

shape of the dome of the Rock allows the Mosque Qibla wall connect and creates a inner

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connective to the octagonal shape of the dome of the rock. The diagram show it creates

concentric circles and the Qibla walls are at an angle to conform to the Dome of the Rock

octagonal shape. This promotes a small mosque a part and uniform to larger design and physical

distinction being a part of the Islamic world and view through by creating the larger design, the

small parts creates the mosaic to create Islamic community. This metaphor can carry into tile

work and miniatures each tile help express a larger message, the concrete is the Quran or the

word of Allah.

Comparison ot Karkartoum and Takht I Suiliman.

The comparison to Karkartoum, to Takht i Suiliman to support Tamerlane influence

created it. The assumption is the Karkartoum was a pure Mongolian created city that the material

used and how the material was created could be a manifestation of the Mongolian world view.

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This picture above is Karkartoum the Mongolian city built to create a northern trade

regime. The notion of Mongolians as nomadic is meet with they traders, thus had to travel to

trade thus all trade cultural are nomadic no. But this city was built by Genghis Khan or

Tamerlane. The Mongolians had folk tales and the symbols could be from them. The arcades

have Chinese influence roofs which could be from the Mongolian interaction with China first

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and adopting their construction habits after conquering them. The statue could represent felting

horse and felting was a big practice and method to create textiles in Mongolian nomadic culture.

Karkartoum could have offered felting trade and methods to create felt and sold felt products.

The physical creation of the wall of Karkartoum is a grey rock that could be indigenous

to the region plus it is stack on each over in wall and arcade fashion. This could be a pure

Mongolia understanding how to use rock. The huts are called Yurts. The Yurt is held with poles

and the felt cloth or canvas covers the poles. I will argue the Metaphor of the Yurt construction

of poles and felt cover promote the arcades and brick walls. The arcades are the poles and brick

walls are the felt canvas. The notion of using hand ready materials from the environment is about

felting the horse that is to shave them then use the fur by a matting process to create a canvas.

In other pictures of Karkartoum there are symbols of the horsemen bow. This also

supports notion of trade center. I will show the bow form is used to create symbols of the flower

and other icons in Mongolian cultural. This is an extra point not vital to the argument but shows

the Mongols were utilitarian and use resources effectively. The bow and flower which is a form

of food and medicine found in Shahnama as a cultural practice to promote leisure.

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The different bows can represent four different clans coming together to control a region.

The Mongolians influence European life through Franco Mongolian alliances that conquered

Islam. This symbols are in Karkartoum but I cannot find a picture to support but showing

everyday tools are used to represent clans and skills of the clan a formed of heraldry. This is to

show cultural comes from necessity.

The picture on the next page is Takht I Suiliman in modern day Iran.

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The exterior of the Takht I Suiliman wall has similar pattern of arcade and wall of

Karkartoum. This supports that Mongolia leaders could have built it because of architectural

design. The exterior wall has the same construction with different regional building materials.

This promotes the building materials are not important. Although, the exterior wall could be

created to promote safety for building of the Yurts insided the walls or trade post which is

manifested in both enclosures also, each site was used as a palace or a place to rule. This does

support social relation to the cultural that David Summers was promoting with same metaphor of

design and architecture and building method does support it is Mongolia with out a Qibla wall it

cannot be considered Islamic.

This diagram explains the pole work and the stretching of the canvas both use brick to create the

exterior wall done in Northern Iran. The summer palace of the Ilkhanid or the Mongolian princes

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of this new conquered territory was the Takht I Sulaymun. This has the same pole work as the

Yurt.

Conclusion

The conclusion the exterior wall of each compound has Mongolian influence or how Tamerlane

built his trade palace in Mongolia and the summer palace was alter from an ancient Persian fire

temple.

The speculation is the Takht I Suilaman was a Persian Fire temple, but had a temple it that has a

visual representation. This next section is look at the Temple of Solomon and Throne of

Suiliman.

In this picture above is the Temple of Soloman, Herods Second Temple and Herodian Temple

mount. The Temple of Solomon has no Qibla wall which could represent that it is the center of

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the empire. Herods, Second Temple has a Qibla wall facing, on the left. The Haram Al-Sharif,

the Herodian Temple Mount after the Islamic conquest, has a definite Qibla. The Qibla wall

could represent it is subordinate or in a federal Imperial system, The temple of Soloman looks

like a man with feet pointing with three sections the Priest sits in the head the people the body it

has no Qibla but 90 degree angles which Solomon Temple was the flag ship temple.

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This is a drawing of the Takht is Suilaman you can see the Temple of Solomon in

Jerusalem the lower picture shows the Temple of Solomon in the far right side image. In the

upper picture you do see a temple like outline that looks like a man. The interesting feature that

is not in both of these pictures is that there is not Qibla wall which mean it is not a part of the

Islamic reformation. There is a Temple of Solomon in the Takht i Suilimon.

To address the question of the title Islamic architecture is address through David

Summers but not really as a construction technique, but I can explain pole work with cement and

tiles is the method of construction. The Mongolia world view is not an appropriation and

pastiche of older cultures but an adaptation of practices that promote leisure and survival. What

does this mean, having blankets for warmth through felting, understanding medicine and creating

walls for protection could be the Chinese influence, and the Bow is important to survival and

leisure and security.

Islamic architecture could be based on a internal dream to bring forth a inner vision of

bringing heaven to earth. This is allude the layout of the Mosques to Mecca is to create a new

universe that is aligned with the center. The zodiac layout of concentric circles which the stars

are in heaven, and earth objects are in line with the objects in heaven this is to promote a

heavenly order on earth.

The summation you can see the Mongolia ingenuity using what is on the land and

applying it for good use. Mongolia empire expanded into Europe to create Medieval Europe and

the feudal an caste system, the use of knights, castles and social distinction. This is the major

difference between the Middle Eastern world and Europe during the middle to rensianse eras

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which manifested in the contemporary era conflicts. The notion of creating geophysical ordering

through landmarks and stars, without boundaries through the mosque system governed by

Caliphate and Hadyths or common law systems is different that the European system. That is

based on state sovereignty the Westphalia traditions created Nations states ruled by princes and

guided by a papal authority.

This is major difference between the two worlds the Mongols help create Europe with out

Islamic influence but with Persian influences and Chinese practically. There is a Mongolian

world view thus cultural.

So Genghis Khan has manifested through the ages through practices and is not Islamic.

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Documents

Islamic Architecture Ilkhanate, Mongol World View