Ilkhanid era

By selecting Northwest Iran as the early capital of Ilkhanid dynasty, Mongol rulers had governed this area for about one century which would have been the official route of administration and communication between Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Northeast China, and Iran. The existence of three unknown rock-cut archetypes in Maraghe (new capital) and its surroundings are among the most controversial subjects for historians and archaeologists. Although the period between 1256 and 1335 is seen as a period of cultural interventions from Mongolia and Inner Mongolia into the Northwest Iran, the architectural influences during Mongol's dominion has been less considered by the scholars. In this way, recent archaeological developments related to this region are beginning to shed new lights on recognition the architectonic appearance and the application of these unique underground architectures in Northwest Iran. Considering comparative studies besides analytical expository of architectural evidences from Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeast China, this project is aimed at standardizing the identity of unknown rock-cut structures in Northwest Iran. According to the results, the combination of a corridor leading to one or more chambers is not entirely random in Northwest Iran but also shares an exact assimilation of those in Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeast China.

It is well documented that the Mongol rule in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries fostered the direct exchange of ideas and practices between diverse cultures and religions. From this point of view, while the Mongols believed in shamanism, they embraced other religions for several reasons, ranging from a personal desire for the spiritual gains to issues of control and political and social cohesion. Hence, century of Mongol domination in Great Iran (1256-1353 CE) witnessed the practice of Buddhism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. While the importance of the Ilkhanid period for the architectural history of the Islamic World has generally been acknowledged, explanations for the appearance of rock-cut buildings in Iran under the Mongol dominion, in contrast with Islamic architecture, are not very satisfying. By focusing on field studies, the aim is to catalogue rock-cut architecture of Ilkhanid Iran with certain parallels with Buddhist architecture, isolate construction phases of monuments of this type in northwest Iran. According to the results, while an investigation of Buddhist architecture in northwest Iran would reveal a vibrant portrait of life in Ilkhanid Iran by illustrating how Ilkhanid architecture responds to various faiths and traditions, it would be possible to have a fresh look at the sociopolitical history of Islamic Iran in collision with the Mongol culture.