Dr Richard McClary: The Apotheosis of Brick Decoration in the Persianate World: Qarakhanid Monuments of Central Asia and Some Antecedents in Iran

This lecture examines structures built and decorated in brick during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Following an overview of the some of the antecedent structures built by the Buyids in Isfahan and Na’in, the focus turns to what can be seen to be some of the finest examples of brick decorated monuments in the wider Iranian world. Buildings in Bukhara, Uzgend and Termez will be the main focus, alongside some other sites outwith the Qarakhanid realm for comparative purposes. It was the twelfth century that saw the apotheosis of bare brick architectural ornament, before the application of glazed tiles became the dominant aesthetic in the following centuries, and this final flowering of the style will be laid out through the course of this lecture.