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Zarei M E, Shabani M. (2019). Study and Analysis of Pottery Styles from the Beginning of the Islamic Era to the end of the Safavid Period in Hamadan. Parseh J. Archaeol. Stud.. 3(8), 109-126. doi:10.30699/PJAS.3.8.109
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/mbp/article-1-224-en.html

Abstract
The existence of route such as the Khorassan highway and the Shah’s subway in the Hamadan have made the region known as an important station throughout the historical periods. In the Islamic era, these trade routes have led to the emergence of various types of pottery cultures in the region. Due to the influence of the pottery cultures of Hamadan from the large areas of Islamic pottery production, this research has tried to address the issues such as: the era of Islamic pottery of Hamadan region? Which types of Hamadan region have local cultures? With the aim of identifying various kinds of clay of the Islamic period of the region, which is carried out through the study of archaeological data, a variety of pottery styles of the Islamic Ages are identified and introduced. During this research, more than 12 pottery styles were identified. All these types of pottery date back to the early centuries, the Middle Ages, and the later centuries. In the first centuries a variety of Unglazed pottery’s, Flower-shaped species and Sgraffiato were obtained. In the medieval pottery the types of pottery can be mentioned: Monochrome, Unglazed pottery with marble and mosaic designs, Ghalam Meshki, Silhouette, Lakaby, pottery of Sultanabad, Zarinfam and the Blue and White of the Middle Ages. The last group of Islamic pottery of Hamadan is related to the late centuries. During this period, the production of species such as Blue and White Safavid era and engraved pottery on ghosts with abnormal designs are prevalent.
Keywords: Hamadan Region, Pottery Styles, Islamic Era.

Introduction
Hamadan is one of the areas that has had a strategic position throughout history. This area allowed the Central and Eastern Plateau to connect with the West and Mesopotamia. The existence of major routes such as the Great “Khorasan Road” and the “Royal Road” route has affected the region’s transformations in the various cultures of human societies. For example, during the survey and archaeological excavations in this region the influence of the Yanik culture from the northwest and the Black on Buff  Ware (BOB) from the southwest on this region has been determined. One of these developments is the creation of various styles of pottery of the Islamic era. Surface surveys on the Islamic period of the Hamadan region indicate that in this region various types of pottery styles have been used in different parts of Iran. However, except for the alternate and two underground crumbling basins, the Samen (It’s a underground archaeological site in the southwest of Hamadan province) is still not one of the sites of the era Islamic, with the approach of identifying and introducing various types of pottery of Islamic era, has not been explored. Based on the data obtained from the archaeological excavations carried out in Hamadan (like Hegmatana, Arzanfood underground archaeological site, Samen underground archaeological site, Islamic city of  Darjazin and Zinoabad ) it seems that apart from the few centuries that, in the absence of exploration of the temporal exploration of the pottery cultures of this region, it is still unclear to our knowledge of the next century pottery, which is generally from archaeological surveys Gets more accessible. In this study, by studying these data, a variety of ornamental species commonly associated with the Middle Ages are known, such as simple mosaic-free glazed ceramics, graphite pottery, pencils, zarrinfam, aquatic blueberries of the Middle Ages, and others in Hamadan region.

Decorative Styles of Pottery of the Islamic Era in Hamadan
After reviewing all the archaeological sources of the area, 12 styles of decorative decoration of Islamic pottery were identified for the period of the early centuries to the late Safavid era. Decorative styles include: plain clay and glazes, all kinds of pottery with monochrome glazes, clay pottery with glazed pottery and stamping, scratching, lacquering pottery, all kinds of underbrush glazes, silhouette, types of painting on the glaze of type Zarrinfam, Sultan-Abad style pottery, famous blue and white pottery and various styles, generally related to the later period, the Qajar period.

Conclusion
The result of the study of Islamic clay data obtained from the archaeological explorations of Hamadan region is the identification of 12 species of clay. These types of pottery were each produced with different decorative features in different Islamic periods in this region. In general, Islamic pottery can be divided into three periods of the early centuries, the Middle Ages, and the later centuries. In the first centuries of the Islamic era, due to limited studies, the conditions of the cultures of the Hamadan region are not clearly known, but based on this limited information, a variety of simple ceramics without glazes, clay dipped and pottery clay. The next period is related to the medieval pottery. The pottery of this period has been identified in many Islamic sites of Hamadan. Among the types of pottery of this period are: monochrome pottery, unmolded pottery with decorated motifs, black pottery, silhouette, lakaby, pottery of Sultan Abad, pottery of Zarrinfam and blue and white species of the Middle Ages. The last group of Islamic pottery of Hamadan is related to the late century’s pottery. However, during this period, some species of pottery of the previous periods, with changes in the type of dough and motifs used, were still used, but the production of species such as blue and white Safavid era and engraved pottery on the glaze with austerity motifs from this era became popular. From late centuries later, in the area of Hamadan, pottery products have found local flavors and a variety of cultures have been created. The peak of this process is seen during the Qajar period and with the advent of Laljin. The city is still known as the largest pottery center in Iran, the center of which exports its own clay styles to different regions.