A Review of Unity in Indigenous Traditional Meybod indigenous Arts based on Islamic Art

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD student in Art Research Department, Islamic Azad University of Central Tehran

2 Department of Textile and Clothing Design, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran.

3 Department of Architecture, Restoration and Urban Planning, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, Iran.

4 Department of Performing Arts, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

  Indigenous-traditional arts in each region are the visual and cultural representation of that region. Since these industries rely more on materials and indigenous and traditional expertise, in addition to being practical, they represent people’s lifestyle, the thought and culture of the artists. ziloubafi, pottery and architecture are among the oldest traditional and indigenous arts in Meybod, a city located 50 kms from Yazd province, and have been formed and developed in the Islamic period in line with the principles of Islamic art. The remarkable variety of motifs in zilou, pottery and local Architectural decorations, composition and structural principles specific to these traditional arts, has led to coherence in the composition of motifs and colors in them and has accommodated a wide range of culture and beliefs of Meybod residents. This paper studies the relationship between the concepts of motifs in the three aforementioned arts, with focus on ziloubafi and its comparison with the two other arts. The primary question of this study is what were the fundamental characteristics and concepts of the three idiosyncratic arts of Meybod, which were based on the artists’ culture and beliefs, that could not only remain during the Islamic period, but could be universally registered? And the secondary question is what kind of relationship between form and structure of zilou, pottery, and architecture of Meybod and the culture and society of this region? The purpose of the study is that 1) identifying effective factors in the combination of designs and colors of zilou, pottery, and architecture decorations of Meybod could lead to visual aesthetics despite simplicity, and this is the main aesthetic principle of Islamic art based on unity and simplicity. 2) recognition, analysis and comparison of the designs and colors of zilou with those of pottery and local architecture decorations is based on emphasis on visual principles of Islamic art. The research method is descriptive (qualitative content analysis) and the relationship between the mentioned factors and the visual characteristics of Islamic art has been investigated using the quantitative content analysis application, called MAXQDA 2020. The indigenous-traditional arts of Meybod developed over time while preserving their roots and their symbolic aspect and beauty is in line with visual aesthetics of Islamic art. These three arts were in line with the spiritual and psychological needs of the people of their region and reflected the Islamic culture. These arts can survive and develop via local technologies of the present time with proper plans in the production process, use, and biocompatibility. Also, the link between the past and future can lay the ground for innovations in this field, which is an important factor in the preservation of indigenous and traditional arts per se.