The Art Of Moaragh Or Floral Tile Fabrication Mostly Known As Mosaic In Europe, Gradually Became The Adornment Of Iranian Architecture, Typically Religious Buildings, Since Seventh Hijri Century. The Importance Of Mosaic Tile Is Because Of Its Magnificent Beauty And High Degree Of Strength. Therefore It Retains On Buildings For A Long Time.
In Order To Fabricate Mosaic Tile , At First A Tile Is Cut Into Small Or Big Pieces, Then The Pieces Are Set Together According To The Prepared Map, After That The Voids And Pored Are Filled With Plaster Slurry In A Way That All Of It Becomes A Uniform Tile And When It Hardens It Is Mounted On The Buildings.
The Artists Of Teymuri Era Developed Mosaic Fabrication In The East Of Iran. Most Of The Buildings In This Region, Especially In Herat, Samarghand And Bokhara, The Capital Cities Of Teymur And Its Successors Are Decorated With Mosaic Tiles. Since The Propagation Of This Kind Of Tile In Big Khorasan, Its Usage Became Popular In Other Cities Of Iran.
Molana Mosque In 848 Hijri, Qiasieh School In 848 Hijri, Gohrashad Mosque In 821 Hijri, Dodar School In 848 Hijri In Khorasan Town; Sheykh Safiollah Ardabili’s Tomb And Kabood Mosque In 870 Hijri In Azarbayjan Town; Imami School In 725 Hijri In Imamshahr In 857 Hijri, Haroone Velayat In 918 Hijri And Imam Khomeyni Mosque (Ex-King Mosque) And Charbagh School In 1024 Hijri In Shiraz And Yazd Central Mosque In 861 Hijri And Finally Varamin Mosque In Markazi Town In 722 Hijri Are Of Those Religious Buildings Which Have Utilized Mosaic Magnificent Art. Various Colors Are Used In Mosaic Tile Fabrication Which Among Those White, Dark Blue, Turquoise Green And Orange Are Significant.
Till Early 17th Century This Style Of Tiling Had Been Common In Iran. In This Period Of Time, The Most Observed Patterns Included Twisted Leaves And Flowers, One Piece Of Blue Flower (Blue Rose) And Blue Tulip From China, Vase And Sometimes Birds.
The Colors Of These Art Works Are Completely Different From The Tiles Built In Turkey In 13th Century. These Colors Included Blue, Yellow Shaded Turquoise, Brown, Green, White, Amethystine And Unfired Matt Red Color Which Are Painted On The Surface Of Clay Bodies Or On A Yellow Colored Glaze.
These Mosaics Are Completely Different From Turkey Mosaics. The Extraordinary Importance Of These Tiles And Their Special Beauty Are Just The Result Of Glazing Art With Much Thickness Which The Color Of Glaze Is Completely Obvious And Reveals Its Blaze. Special Properties Of Clay And Low-Temperature Biscuits From Iranian Materials (Small Adobes) And Thickening Of Glaze During Solidification Could Be The Reason Of Above Mosaics Beauty. The Existence Of Transparent Glaze On Them Could Be The Reason For The Shiny Appearance Of The Most Colors.
By 13th And 14th Centuries, Some Important Places Were Built In Tabriz And Its Surrounding Including Qazan Khan Ilkhani Mogul’s Tomb Having A Very Tall Dome And Decorated With Marble And Minister Tajeddin Alishah Gilani’s Mosque.
Some Of The Important Buildings Built In Early 14th Century Are: Aljayto Khan Mosque Or Octagonal Tomb In Soltanie, A Mosque With Sharp Facade And A Dome Covered By Colorful Glazed Tiles In Varamin And Perfect Cravings Of Aljayto Khan’s Tomb In Old Central Mosque Of Isfahan, Which Are Very Beautiful And Interesting.
By The End Of Teymuri Era And The Beginning Of Safavi Era The Use Of Other Kind Of Tiles Known As Adobe Or Seven-Colored (Colorful) Tiles Became Common In Decorating Of Various Buildings.
As It Is Previously Mentioned, In The Late Teymuri And Safavi Era Mosaic Tiling Was Gradually Replaced By Seven-Colored Tiles Decorating. Delivery And Propagation Of Seven-Colored Tiles Are Somewhat Resulted By Both Economical And Political Reasons. The Importance Of Architecture And Increasing Construction Of Religious And Unreligious Buildings Made Architects To Decorate Various Buildings With Seven-Colored Tiles.