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JULY, 1915]
THE DOME IN PERSIA.
has been built with a massive stepped lower part. According to O'Donovan57, its internal height cannot be much under 70 feet. He also states that a gallery "seems to have run round the interior of the dome if one may judge by the remains of wood beams and the spaces sunk in the walls."
I believe the only writer who has attempted to date this building is Prof. Jackson, who, in his recent book "From Constantinople to the Homo of Omar Khayyam," suggests the middle of the 12th century as its probable date (p. 288), thinking it may possibly be the mausoleum of Hamid Ibn Kahtabah mentioned by Yakut in 1216. His choice, however, is apparently limited by his statement (p. 278) regarding Tûs " that finally the Mongols crushed it never to rise again from the dust in which it lies to-day," a mistake made by Fraser. As a matter of fact Ibn Batuta visited it a century later and describes it as one of the most famous towns of Khurâsân, In 1381 Timûr occupied it and took possession of the province. In 1387 Hâji Beg Jâni Kurbânî, one of Timûr's nobles, rebelled at Tûs, strengthened the town, and struck coins in his own name, whereupon Tîmûr sent his youngest son Mîrân Shâh against it, who took it after a siege of several months. Yet this was not the end of it as Mirkhond gives an account of a visit Shah Rukh made to it in 822 (1419). Khanikoff's found a tablet there dated 983 (1575), and he adds that Tûs does not disappear from the list of places engraved on the tablets of Persian astrolabes until after 1100 (1685). The object in giving the geographical positions of important places is, of course, to help in the casting of horoscopes, and the position of an uninhabited place would scarcely be found there, so it is evident that the present desertion of Tâs only dates from the commencement of the 18th century. It is therefore futile to attempt to date this building from any considerations of this sort, and in the absence of other evidence we must fall back on its degree of architectural development to help us. Personally, from the feature I have called attention to, viz: the window at the base of the dome, I would suggest the first half of the 15th century for this part, at least, of the building; but my chief reason for showing it is that I seem to see in it the prototype of the dome of the mosque in the Pârânâ Kila of Shêr Shâh at Delhi, built 1541. This illustration (Plate IV, B) is taken from Russell Sturgis's History of Architectures as it shows the windows round its base, so clearly. Most photographs show the top of the gateway restored, which effectually conceals the windows.
In the 16th and 17th centuries we find the double dome with slightly swelling outline in general use for all important buildings.
Plate IV, C, shows the dome of the Royal Mosque at Isfahan built by Shah 'Abbas in 1612. It is brilliant with glistening tile-work, one of the most striking features of Persian domes. Notice the windows round its base.
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Most important domes in Persia are covered with faience, but those belonging to sacred shrines are generally gilded, Meshed and Kum possessing well-known examples.
In August 1673 the dome of the shrine of Imâm Rizâ, at Meshed, was entirely thrown. down by an earthquake, although the rest of the building "remain'd as was said, pretty entire "0. It was rebuilt by Shâh Suleiman, and covered with gilt plates. It is of similar shape to that of the Royal mosque at Isfahan except for the absence of windows round
57 ibid, II, p. 15.
58 Khanikoff (N), Mémoire sur la parteé méridionale de l'Asie centrale, p. 31.
59 By kind permission of Messrs. Batsford.
60 Cardin,
"Travels in Persia" (Lloyd's trans.) Vol. I, p. 131.
