Dissertation in Art and Archaeology - 15PARC999 “THE EVOLUTION OF OTTOMAN MUQARNAS” dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History of Art at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London by HUDAI SIRRI SENALP 17/09/2012 Word count: 9900 1 I have read and understood regulation 17.9 (Regulations for Students of SOAS) concerning plagiarism. I undertake that all material presented for examination is my own work and has not been written for me, in whole or in part, by any other person(s). I also undertake that any quotation or paraphrase from the published or unpublished work of another person has been duly acknowledged in the work which I present for examination. I give permission for a copy of my dissertation to be held at the School’s discretion, following final examination, to be made available for reference. Signed…………………………… Date……………………….. 2 to my mother, who has supported me at every point of my time writing this thesis, to my father who directed me to undertake this essay topic, which I have great passion towards, And to my sister and brother of whom I invaded their rooms in the way that they call “the muqarnas invasion”. 3 Istanbul Sultanahmed Mosque, Courtyard enterance. 4 Edirne Muradiye Mosque, mihrab. 5 Riwaqs of al-Masjid al-Haram, Makkah. 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My special thanks are to my supervisor Doris Behrens-Abouseif who aided and supported writing this thesis and encouraged me when I wanted to study “muqarnas”. 7 Erzurum Yakutiye Madrasa (1310) ABSTRACT This dissertation examines the evolution of Ottoman muqarnas. The aim is to demonstrate what are the important subjects in the period of nearly five hundred year of development. The second chapter is in order to define what muqarnas is and to reveal what are the main aspects of muqarnas. The third chaper is about the principles of muqarnas. In this part arguments from various scholars are discussed and it concludes by an example demonstrating how a muqarnas plan should be read. The last chaper is the main part of the dissertation. In this chaper it has shown that there is a continuum in the architecture of Anatolia, and Ottoman muqarnas is natural development of its predecessors. In the formation of Ottoman muqarnas, usage of marble has extreme importance. Ottomans brought new approaches and developed geometric schemes developed by Seljuks. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................... 7 ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................ 8 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 12 2. DEFINING MUQARNAS ................................................................................................................. 16 2.1. Definitions and characteristics................................................................................................. 16 2.2. Regional Peculiarities ............................................................................................................... 18 3. THE PRINCIPLES OF MUQARNAS.................................................................................................. 20 3.1. The Geometric Analysis of Muqarnas Portal of Nigde-Aksaray Sultanhan ............................ 24 4. The Evolution of Ottoman Muqarnas .......................................................................................... 29 4.1. Pre-Ottoman Muqarnas ........................................................................................................... 29 4.1.1. Geometric Schemes .............................................................................................................. 29 4.1.1.1. Type1................................................................................................................................. 30 4.1.1.2. Type2................................................................................................................................. 31 4.1.1.3. Type2A............................................................................................................................... 31 4.1.1.4. Type2B............................................................................................................................... 32 4.1.1.5. Type3................................................................................................................................. 33 4.1.1.6. Type4................................................................................................................................. 36 4.1.1.7. Type 5................................................................................................................................ 39 4.1.2. 3D Muqarnas Elements ........................................................................................................ 40 4.1.2.1. Yaprak (eng. Leaf) and mini muqarnas ............................................................................ 41 4.1.2.2. Püskül (eng, tassels).......................................................................................................... 41 4.1.3. Kazayagı (eng. Goose-foot).................................................................................................. 42 4.1.4. Conclusion............................................................................................................................. 42 4.2. Ottoman Muqarnas .................................................................................................................. 43 4.2.1. Ottoman Muqarnas Elements .............................................................................................. 43 4.2.1.1. Badem (eng. Almond) and Yaprak(eng. Leaf).................................................................. 44 4.2.1.2. Fitil (eng. Bougie).............................................................................................................. 46 4.2.1.3. Kazayağı (eng. Goose-foot)............................................................................................... 47 4.2.1.4. Püskül (eng. Tassel)........................................................................................................... 48 4.3. Early Ottoman Muqarnas ......................................................................................................... 49 4.3.1. Portal Typologies and importance of building material...................................................... 49 4.3.2. The importance of Hammams.............................................................................................. 49 4.3.3. Early Examples ...................................................................................................................... 50 9 4.3.4. Geometric Schemes .............................................................................................................. 54 4.3.4.1. Type A................................................................................................................................ 54 4.3.4.2. Type B................................................................................................................................ 57 4.3.4.3. Type C................................................................................................................................ 60 4.3.4.4. Type D................................................................................................................................ 61 4.3.4.5. Type E ................................................................................................................................ 68 4.3.4.6. TypeF ................................................................................................................................. 72 4.3.5. Architect Sinan’s Muqarnas ................................................................................................. 75 4.3.6. Muqarnas portals after Sinan............................................................................................... 81 4.3.7. Structure-Muqarnas Together.............................................................................................. 84 5. CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................. 94 6. BIBLIOGRAPHY.............................................................................................................................. 97 7. APPENDIX.................................................................................................................................... 101 7.1. Full List of illustrations............................................................................................................ 101 10 Note on drawings, plans and sections, Unless it is mentioned, grayscale muqarnas plans, geometric schemes and sections belongs to Odekan (1977) and (1981). As for the coloured muqarnas plans, they are taken from Shiro Takaeshi`s Muqarnas Database (2003). 11 “Regarding that which is called the science of geometry [handasa], in this age [1614], if the science of geometry is discussed among architects [mi'mar] and learned men ['alim], each one will answer, "Yes, we have heard of it, but in essence we have not heard how the science of geometry works and what it deals with." … As long as a person