Manifestation of Lyrical Literature’s concepts in the Mina’i (enameled) Pottery of Kashan; A Case Study on Bijan and Manijeh, Bahram and Azadeh Stories

Over the years, a variety of patterns and designs have been created on pottery thanks to the potter’s interest and talents. Being regarded as the main element of pottery decoration, the designs represent the concepts such as creeds, beliefs, thoughts, tendencies and ambitions. Paying attention to wisdom and knowledge as well as allusion to cultures, traditions and national myths are the main issues referred to in poems and proses and other artistic works of this country. In the 6th and 7th centuries AH, Kashan experienced boom and revitalization in pottery art. This could not have been achieved without attention of the ruler and authorities towards the art and artists. In this process, the Iranian potters took advantage of motifs and artistic decorations of pre-Islamic era in order to design pottery. Some of these designs are deemed to be as great masterpieces of painting in Islamic era.

The purpose of the present study is to introduce the features of Mina’i pottery of Kashan illustrating the concepts of Lyrical literature. Taking “Bijan and Manijeh” and “Bahram and Azadeh” stories into account, the most outstanding designs of lyrical literature on these pieces of pottery have been reviewed. The study was carried out using a descriptive-analytic method and the data were obtained through desk research. The results of the study indicate that Mina’i pottery technique have had greater contribution in portraying the lyrical poems compared with other techniques. Moreover, the Kashani potters have made an outstanding contribution in creating culture and artistic works appropriate for their current society. Indeed, it can be argued that these concepts and artistic and literal motifs of the aforementioned era have had Sasanian archetypes, with this difference, that these concepts are exaggeratedly represented in artistic works of the Islamic era.