IRANIAN TOMBSTONES WITH FIGURAL REPRESENTATIONS DURING THE QAJAR ERA (1209-1344 A.H.1794-1925 C.E.) IN LIGHT OF A SELECTED COLLECTION FROM AL-RAWDA AL-MUQADDASA MUSEUM AT QUM AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ARTISTIC STUDY

Although Iran knew various forms of tombstones throughout the different Islamic periods, whether of plain surface or not, the Qajar period (1209-1344/1794-1925) witnessed a big evolution with a quantum leap in both the general designs and the decorations. At that time, a new type of tombstones, which contain private images of their owners, were emerged.The aim of this study is to focus on this topic which so far has not received a sufficient attention, without any separate study in both the Arabic and the foreign references. Such studies would delve in the details of those tombstones ornamented with figures, tracing their evolution and unveiling their meanings. This study also treated these points through studying and publishing four tombstones preserved in the museum of the Holy Fatimid Rawda (Qum Astanh Museum).In fact, this museum had been chosen in particular because its collection has a special significance for containing the tombstones of certain rulers and historic patrons from the Qajar era. For achieving the study aims, this work comprises a descriptive study of these tombstones, followed by their analytical study