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Feizi F, Shahbazi Shiran H, Hajizadeh K. (2023). Intertextuality Connections of Architectural and Urbanization Collections of Tabriz in The Il-Khanate Period and Its Semantic Evolutions Based on Layered Semiotic Studies. Parseh J. Archaeol. Stud.. 7(25), 219-248. doi:10.30699/PJAS.7.25.219
URL: http://journal.richt.ir/mbp/article-1-528-en.html

Abstract
One of the shortcomings of this field is the study of architectural remains individually and without considering the text layers and textural changes affecting it. This study described intertextuality connections of architectural and urbanization collections of Tabriz during the Il-khanate period in two levels: micro (Tabriz city) and macro (regional and international) through discourse analysis and using historical and archaeological data in order to reveal the evolutions and implicit semantics of text layers (architectural and urbanization collections). It is question that how intertextuality connections of the mentioned remains from point of view layer semiology have been and how have manifested semiotic systems. In this study in order to understand data is used qualitative method in the form of descriptive-analytical. Findings show that the use of intertextuality reading of layered semiology leads to the understanding of hidden layers of meaning in architectural remains and involves the effect of broader paradigms in study. In the intertextuality connections of different layers of architecture and urban planning of Tabriz in the Il-khanate era at micro and macro levels, codes such as the main elements of government, including political power, cultural-religious power and economic power, the layers (temporal, spatial, cultural-social) are entered into a syntagmatic and paradigmatic connections and have become a semiotics.
Keywords: Il-Khanate Period, Tabriz, Layered Semiology, Intertextuality Connections, Codes.

Introduction
Although fundamental research on semiology in general and architectural semiology, in particular, are rather abundant, it has been neglected as an approach for many artistic instances in a monographic and independent manner. Therefore, the current study seeks to determine the intertextuality relations and interpretation process between architectural and urban collections in Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era, such as Shanb Ghazan, Rab’-e Rashidi, and Citadel of Alishah, using semiology studies and especially, post-structuralism and its layered approach to identify the evolution and different semantic layers within the architecture and urban development of the city during that period. Although various scholars investigated the architecture and urban development of the Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era in different books and papers, no study took a semiotics and semantic approach to examine the semantic meanings. The applications of semiology in Iran were mainly limited to linguistics and literary or religious texts. Many researchers neglected the architectural perception (including historic architecture) and its different structures as a kind of language having all required semiotics systems, or they were influenced by common methods of reviewing the history of art, including traditionalism (especially mystical and historic approaches). This study sought to answer the following questions: (1) what were the semantic evolutions of Tabriz architectural works caused by contextual changes (i.e., time, location, society-culture, and intertextuality relations) on a macro (i.e., Iran and the region) and micro (i.e., Tabriz city) level? (2) What are the intertextuality relations between prominent architectural works in Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era based on the semiology approach, and (3) how are different semiotics systems manifested in different layers of texts (architecture)? The research is a fundamental qualitative study using a descriptive-analytic approach and the interpretative post-structural semiology method, aiming to represent the hidden meanings of prominent architectural works of Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era in the form of “text”, “context”, and “codes.” The main goal was to investigate the process and how the meaning changed in the architecture and urban development collections of Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era, along with its contextual variations.

Discussion
Many architecture and urban development collections were constructed in Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era, especially during Ghazan Khan’s reign. There is not enough archaeological information about the plan and structure of architecture and urban development collections of that era, except for the Citadel of Alishah. However, the main architectural structures of the collections can be determined, and their different meanings and aspects might be analyzed using major historical sources of the era and the remnants of the collections. For Shanb Ghazan, buildings such as congregational mosque, Shafi’i and Hanafi religious schools, Beyt al-Ghanoon (House of Law), etc., as symbolic systems and the location of the Sultan tomb in the centre as the most important system are instances of the bond between political power and religion. Ghazan Khan was thoughtfully seeking to monopolize political power and religion for his government and himself. In fact, when the caliphate collapsed, and a kind of void was felt by the people, Ghazan Khan manifested the political power-religion bond in his buildings based on the theories of Khawaja Rashiduddin, which can be found in Shanb Ghazan. Roshidyeh Town was the utopia of Rashiduddin, who tried to build the town based on his national and Islamic school of thought regarding political philosophy. The economy of Rashidi depended on surrounding villages and gardens. So, unlike Shanb Ghazan, the city was economically independent. Citadel of Alishah was built by Tajuddin Alishah, the vizier of Öljaitü and Abu Sa’id Bahadur Khan, between 1316 and 1324. In fact, Tajuddin Alishah concentrated and associated symbolic elements of religious power (i.e., mosque and Khanqah), political power (i.e., governmental buildings and palaces), and economic power (i.e., bazaars) in Citadel of Alishah to lessen the importance of Rashiduddin’s brilliant works and gain legitimacy with people and Sultan. His actions remained incomplete by his death. If political, religious, and economic powers are considered the three pillars of governance, Rab’-e Rashidi is the true example of establishing a bond between politics and religion and a symbol of religion. However, all power elements (i.e., political, religious, and economic) accompany each other in Citadel of Alishah, reflecting the general power structure and network at that time.

Conclusion
The results showed that the meanings of Ilkhanid architectural collections of Tabriz became a trend, manifesting through architectural works of other cities and creating a series of particular relations, which are completely affected by contextual changes on a micro and macro level. The prominent architectural works of Tabriz during the Ilkhanid era represent a system of codes composed of different layers, such as Shanb Ghazan, Rab’-e Rashidi, and Citadel of Alishah. On the macro level, Tabriz had intertextuality relations with cities such as Maragheh, Soltanieh, Baghdad, and Karakoram/Beijing and meaning was constantly flowing and communicated between these cities. As intertextuality relations were interpreted, it was established that different layers of Tabriz city, including Shanb Ghazan, Rab’-e Rashidi, and Citadel of Alishah, on the micro level, and Maragheh, Soltanieh, Baghdad, and Karakoram/Beijing on the macro level are the representation and external instances of the relations between codes of political, religious-cultural, and economic powers with various sub-codes as the main pillars of governance. These cities became a semiosis for each pillar in a certain period due to the meanings exchanged during the Ilkhanid dynasty.
On the micro level, Shanb Ghazan is an example of the bond between politics and religion accompanied by sub-codes, such as Persian approaches to town management and supporting Shafi’i, Hanafi, mystical, etc. religions or building religious schools near Ghazan tomb. With Gonbadkhaneh (Dome Room) in the center (the tomb of Rashiduddin), Rab’-e Rashidi outshines Shanb Ghazan as a religious and scientific semiotics. In the layered semiology perspective, Rab’-e Rashidi encompasses a company and then a substitution relation between religion and science. The gathering of main government codes, including political power (i.e., governmental buildings and palaces), religious power (i.e., mosque and Khanqah), and economic power (i.e., bazar and downtown) in a structural system was achieved for the first time in Citadel of Alishah during Öljaitü reign. However, when he died and was replaced by Abu Sa’id, the Citadel of Alishah lost its statute to Soltanieh Dome due to the different viewpoint of the new Sultan toward religion. In the next eras and especially when Safavids came to power, the Citadel of Alishah was considered a virtual representation of military power against Ottoman invasions because the capital was changed to Ghazvin and Isfahan and the locational context was changed.

Acknowledgment
The Authors of the article consider it necessary to appreciate the anonymous referees of the journal who accepted the effort and added to the richness of the text of the article with their constructive suggestions.

Observation Contribution
The Authors declare that according to the extraction of the article from the doctoral thesis, the writing was done by the first Author with the guidance and supervision of the second Author and the consultation of the third Author.

Conflict of Interest
The Authors, while observing the publishing ethics, declare the absence of conflict of interest and material and administrative support from the Research and Technology Vice-Chancellor of Mohaghegh Ardabili University.