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Ghani A, Motafakkerazad M. (2026). The Panofskian Iconological Approach to Analyzing the Symbolism of the Mihrab Arch Form in Safavid Prayer Rugs and Its Comparison with Contemporary Mosque Mihrabs. , CIAUJ. 11(1), 231-256. doi:10.66224/ciauj.11.1.647
URL: http://ciauj-tabriziau.ir/article-1-647-en.html

 Safavid-period mihrab prayer rugs, characterized by the arch form and symbolic motifs such as hanging lamps, Qur’anic inscriptions, and arboreal elements like the cypress, constitute a visual articulation of sacred space and religious-ritual concepts deeply embedded in Iranian culture. While previous scholarship has addressed the semiotic, geometric, and formal aspects of Persian rugs, the symbolic significance of the mihrab arch form has not been comprehensively examined through Panofsky’s iconological methodology, nor systematically compared with the mihrabs of Safavid mosques. This omission has resulted in an incomplete understanding of the formal, symbolic, and conceptual relationships between mihrab rugs and Safavid sacred architecture.The present study seeks to elucidate the role of the arch form in conveying religious, metaphysical, and cosmic meanings, and to investigate its structural and symbolic correspondences with mihrabs in Safavid mosques, notably the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and the Imam Mosque in Isfahan. The central research question asks: How does the mihrab arch form in Safavid prayer rugs function as a vehicle for cosmic and religious concepts, and how does it relate iconologically to the mihrabs of contemporaneous Safavid mosques? Employing a qualitative research methodology grounded in Panofsky’s three-tiered iconological framework, this study draws upon visual analyses of museum-held prayer rugs, historical texts, and semiotic interpretations. The findings demonstrate that both Safavid mihrab rugs and mosque mihrabs rely on a shared system of religious and cultural symbols, operating as multilayered visual constructs that simultaneously reinforce local identity and disseminate the spiritual and cultural values of the Safavid era beyond its geographical boundaries. Furthermore, the portability of mihrab rugs facilitated the democratization of sacred space, enabling personal devotional practices and contributing to the propagation of Shiʿi identity within the Safavid sociopolitical context. Through an interdisciplinary iconological analysis, this research reconsiders the position of mihrab prayer rugs within Safavid visual culture and highlights their role as mediators between architecture, ritual, and portable sacred art, thereby opening new avenues for iconological studies in Iranian art history.