Problem statement
Tomb architecture is one of the prominent domains of Iranian architecture. In the Islamic period, the Seljuk and Ilkhanid periods were turning points in Iranian tomb architecture development; a trend that continued in later periods. This research is dedicated to examining the architectural features of tomb buildings in the village of Shisheh-Riz in Golshan County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province. These buildings have not been studied systematically and with an architectural analysis approach. Therefore, analyzing the architecture of these tombs can pave the way for a better understanding of another part of Iranian architectural heritage.
Research objectives
The main objective of this research is to identify and analyze the structural and physical features of Shisheh-Riz tombs, along with examining their visual, conceptual, and formal similarities with other tomb buildings in Iran, especially those belonging to the same historical periods.
Research method
This research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method, with observations and field visits, and the study and review of archives such as travelogues and historical documents. The selected cases were the eight historical tombs in the village of Shisheh-Riz. The reason for selecting this number was based on the accessibility, the possibility of its documents and field research. Therefore, the sampling method was purposeful and finally the data was analyzed qualitatively.
Conclusion
Unique architectural features of the Shisheh-Riz tombs include banded hole decorations in walls, the use of patkin arches in the interior space, and particularly the method of making domed corners with pendentive, which is distinct from the tradition of making domed corners with squinch in previous periods of Iranian architecture and largely determines the age of the building, since pendentive was common in tomb buildings during the Ilkhanid period in Iran. Also, some decorative motifs inside the buildings were partially identified by examining historical texts.