Muqarnas

For the academic journal, see Muqarnas (journal).

Decorative muqarnas vaulting in the iwan entrance to the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran

The muqarnas (Arabic: مقرنص‎‎; Persian: مقرنس‎‎) are a form of architectural ornamented vaulting, the "geometric subdivision of a squinch, or cupola, or corbel, into a large number of miniature squinches, producing a sort of cellular structure", sometimes also called "honeycomb" vaults from their resemblance to these. They are used for domes, and especially half-domes in entrances and apses, mostly in traditional Islamic and Persian architecture. When some elements project downwards, the style may be called mocárabe; these are reminiscent of stalactites, and may be called "stalactite vaults".

Muqarnas developed around the middle of the 10th century in northeastern Iran and almost simultaneously — but seemingly independently — in central North Africa. Examples can be found in the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, the Abbasid Palace in Baghdad, Iraq, and the mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbay, Cairo, Egypt. Large rectangular roofs in wood with muqarnas-style decoration adorn the 12th century Cappella Palatina in Palermo, Sicily, and other important buildings in Norman Sicily. They are also found in Armenian architecture.

Structure

High-resolution detail from the Alhambra, showing horizontal courses; the clearer one zigzags across at about 1/3 of the way down.

Medieval architect's plan of two muqarna vaults, from the Topkapı Scroll; more plans from the scroll.

Muqarnas are typically applied to the undersides of domes, pendentives, cornices, squinches, arches and vaults. Muqarnas are downwards-facing shapes; a vertical line can be traced from the floor to any point on a muqarnas surface. They are also arranged in horizontal courses, as in a corbelled vault, with the horizontal joint surface having a different shape at each level. The edges of these surfaces can all be traced on a single plan view; architects can thus plan out muqarnas geometrically, as seen in the image. See these diagrams for clarity.

Basic principle of corbeled arch design

Corbelled vault carved into muqarnas (method of suspension for pendant points, one of which is missing, not clear).

Muqarnas do not have a significant structural role. The muqarnas need not be carved into the structural blocks of a corbelled vault; they can be hung from a structural roof as a purely decorative surface. Muqarnas may be made of brick, stone, stucco, or wood, and clad with tiles or plaster. The individual cells may be called alveoles.

Some modern muqarnas have been designed, if not built, with upwards-facing sections; see also the Indian capitals above.

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  Amber Fort, near Jaipur. The marble palace Jai Mandir. Sheesh Mahal (the Hall of Mirrors): note mirrors set in the ceiling.

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  Muqarnas corbel, Qutb Minar, India

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  Muquarna, single. Earthenware with moulded decoration under opaque turquoise glaze, Timurid art, 1st half of the 15th century. From the Shah-i-Zinda in Samarkand.

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  Muqarnas on the underside of an arch, Alhambra Palace, Granada, Spain, likely in carved plaster. Note down-ward-projecting "stalactites".

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  Painted muqarnas, Palatine Chapel, Palermo, commissioned by Roger II of Sicily in 1132

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  Gilded tile muqarnas at Chehel Sotoon Palace (17th century) — Isfahan, Iran.

See also

• Architecture of Iran
• Islamic architecture
• Islamic geometric patterns
• Mathematics and art
• Ottoman architecture

External links

• Muqarnas : A Three-dimensional Decoration of Islam Architecture. Contains a database of over a thousand plans of extant muqarnas, indexed by location and geometry.
• Abstract, Nexus 2004, Muqarnas, Construction and Reconstruction
• Modern muqarnas forms, Animated GIF version
• Informative page about muqarnas from the School of Islamic Geometric Design
• polygonal computer models
• Page with VRML interactive 3D models
• Slideshow on muqarna geometry, with traditional and computer-assisted new designs.