The influence of Sassanid art on the Abbasid architectural decoration: from the fragmentation of the squinche to the creation of a three-dimensional decoration system

Abstract

Islamic architecture presents a three-dimensional decoration system known as muqarnas. An original system created in the Near East between the 8th and the 10th centuries due to the fragmentation of the squinche, but it was in the 11th century when it turned into a basic element, not only all along the Islamic territory but also in the Islamic vocabulary. However, the origin and shape of muqarnas has not been thoroughly considered by Historiography. This research tries to prove the importance of Sasanian Art in the aesthetics creation of muqarnas