The conservation and restoration of historical and cultural artifacts in Iran are increasingly recognized as important fields of study. Among these, the conservation and restoration of wooden artifacts remain underexplored. The treatment of artifacts damaged by mechanical, chemical, and biological factors must be informed by prior studies to minimize the effects of these destructive influences. The Jameh (gathering) Mosque of Gorgan, a significant historical building from the Islamic era, contains many valuable decorations and artifacts, including its distinguished wooden pulpit (minbar). This pulpit, based on surviving documents, is believed to date back to the Timurid period and features intricate lattice work (gereh-chini) and wood carving (monabbat-kari), which greatly enhance its historical significance. The main objectives of this research are to understand the construction techniques used for the mosque's pulpit and to analyze the physical and chemical composition of the materials employed. To achieve these objectives, methodologies including documentation, microscopic examinations, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis were utilized.
Decorations and paintings are integral components of Iranian-Islamic architecture. Among the structures that continually evolve in their architectural ornaments and decorations are the mausoleums and shrines of religious figures. One such monument, adorned with diverse wall decorations, is the Imamzadeh Hamzeh ibn Musa (AS) mausoleum located in Dehneh Shirin village, Esfarayen, North Khorasan Province. This study aims to investigate the construction techniques of the wall decorations at the Imamzadeh through laboratory methods, including petrographic thin-section analysis (OPM) to identify the layers and their compositions, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to identify red and blue pigments. Petrographic analysis revealed four distinct layers in the wall paintings: the paint layer, the ground layer, the lower primer, and the upper primer. FTIR analysis could not identify the pigments, detecting only bands indicative of calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate in the studied samples. For more precise pigment identification, additional analyses such as Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) are required.
