Moldded Pottery of Seljuk era

Studying the art of pottery in different historical periods can provide useful information about social, economic, and cultural structures. Designating a collection for analyzing and evaluating pottery from a historical period can lead to obtaining accurate information. The Mostazafan Foundation Museum is one of the centers that houses an important part of the civilizational works of Iran. Some of the works in this museum date back to the Seljuk period in the fifth and sixth centuries AH. The Seljuk period is considered one of the brilliant periods of Islamic art. During this historical period, with the support of the Seljuk emirs and relative political stability, many arts flourished. Pottery, which is considered one of the applied arts, also flourished during this period. Pottery from this period was produced with various manufacturing and decoration techniques. Unglazed, single-colored, patterned, and enameled and molded pottery are among the decoration and production techniques of pottery from this period. Meanwhile, molded pottery with geometric, plant, and animal motifs flourished significantly. This method had its roots in ancient Iran and was produced in centers such as Neyshabur, Rey, Herat, Merv, and Isfahan during the Islamic period. Molded pottery from the Seljuk period in the Mostazafan Foundation Museum depicts a wide range of themes in the form of plant motifs, animal motifs such as birds, and human motifs. Composite motifs such as sphinxes, griffins, and harpies are also notable motifs in molded pottery from this period.