Zagros Archaeological Researches

Zagros Archaeological Researches

Commercial Architecture During the Ilkhanate Period; the Shanb Ghazan Complex and the Soltaniyeh Citadel, Manifestations of Foreign Commercial Economy in This Period.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2 Department of Archaeology Faculty of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
Abstract
Abstract
Although commercial architecture is considered a relatively new term in the field of architecture, its origins can be traced back to ancient times and historical structures due to the importance of trade in the economies of various historical periods. The Ilkhanate period, marked by the decline of agricultural economy and the simultaneous flourishing of commercial economy, along with the construction of massive architectural complexes, serves as an excellent case for studying commercial architecture. The main question of this research is to what extent commercial objectives and goals were considered by the patrons, commissioners, and builders in the design and spatial organization of the Shanb Ghazan and Soltanieh complexes, and how the concept of commercial architecture can be applied to them. This research is qualitative in nature and adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through library research and field visits, and archaeological evidence and historical sources were compared in the analysis. The findings indicate that the Soltanieh and Shanb Ghazan complexes are the best examples for examining the presence of economic paradigms in the commercial architecture of the Ilkhanate period. In Shanb Ghazan, the presence of multiple gates, markets, roads, and international traders, and in the Soltanieh Dome, the construction of highways, industrial centers, factories, schools, and the central tomb of the Sultan, highlight the significant importance of commercial activities in the life of the Ilkhanid state. By constructing these two complexes, the Ilkhanid rulers sought to display their power and legitimacy among other Islamic civilizations and European states through the creation of monumental architectural complexes and commercial architecture.
Keywords: Commercial Architecture, Ilkhanate Period, Shanb Ghazan, Soltanieh Dome.
Introduction
Our knowledge about the economy of cities and life within them during the 7th and 8th centuries AH (13th and 14th centuries CE) is very limited and ambiguous, often influenced by preconceptions shaped by the Mongols' actions during their invasions. It is likely that the Mongols' aversion to centralization, the recommendations of the Yasa (Chinggis law), and their emphasis on avoiding inactivity, which in turn highlighted the importance of trade, stemmed from their steppe geography. During the Ilkhanate period, due to reasons such as the destruction of agricultural infrastructure, droughts, and the decline of villages, the revenues from the agricultural economy were significantly lower compared to the commercial economy. Instead, the commercial economy reached its peak of prosperity, and, as will be discussed, international trade emerged for the first time during this period and thereafter. Until now, the architectural complexes of the Ilkhanid era have been examined from various perspectives, but no research has specifically addressed the commercial significance of these complexes. Existing studies have been limited to general observations and brief mentions in various articles. Among the most important of these structures are the Shanb Ghazan complex in Tabriz and the Soltanieh Dome complex. The main question of this research is to what extent commercial objectives and goals were considered by the patrons, commissioners, and builders in the design and spatial organization of the Shanb Ghazan and Soltanieh complexes, and how significantly the concepts of commercial economy influenced these structures. The authors hypothesize that commercial considerations played a crucial role in the construction of Ilkhanid architectural complexes, and that the Mongol rulers and their advisors deliberately and with premeditated planning created conditions to promote commercial prosperity within these complexes, the nearby cities, and the trade routes connected to them. The aim of this research is to study the manifestations of the commercial economy in the two architectural complexes of Shanb Ghazan and Soltanieh, relying on archaeological and historical data, in order to gain a better understanding of the concept of commercial architecture during the Ilkhanate period. This research is qualitative in nature and adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through library research and field visits, and in the analysis, archaeological evidence and historical sources were cross-referenced.

Discussion
During Ghazan Khan's era, the concept of Abwab al-Birr emerged, inspired by religious shrines in Iran, especially in Tabriz. Ghazan Khan began building the grand dome of Sham in 1296 CE, which became larger than the old city of Tabriz. The town featured symbolic elements such as a congregational mosque, schools, and the Sultan's tomb at the center, merging political power and religion. Merchants from Byzantium and Europe were required to trade in Shanb Ghazan's markets. The Ardabil-Ray Road influenced the city's internal roads and contributed to market expansion. Ghazaniyeh played a significant role in international trade, exchanging cultures, techniques, and artistic methods along trade routes.
Khwaja Rashid al-Din conceptualized Shanb Ghazan to exemplify the fusion of politics and religion. During the reigns of Ghazan Khan and Oljeitu, political, religious, and economic powers were integrated into the Soltanieh Citadel and Shanb Ghazan, reflecting the entirety of the power structure. Soltanieh encompassed all symbolic elements of governance. Schools promoting Shia Islam and the presence of Allamah al-Hilli legitimized the rulers' authority. Oljeitu’s alteration of trade routes concentrated the main pillars of governance in his new city, significantly impacting Tabriz’s status and facilitating the transportation of goods.

Conclusion
Among the most important cities, towns, and complexes established during the Ilkhanate period were Soltanieh and the Shanb Ghazan complex during the Muslim era of the Ilkhans. Although political, religious, and climatic factors played a role in the construction of both, as mentioned earlier, the political and religious reasons for establishing these cities and complexes were ultimately tied to economic considerations. It is also important to note that during the discussed centuries, separating political and economic affairs was not a straightforward task. During their Muslim era, the Ilkhans enjoyed political and religious legitimacy in Iran, and their primary goals were to reform and revitalize the economy while showcasing their power and legitimacy on both regional and international levels. The complexes of Soltanieh and Shanb Ghazan are the best examples for examining the presence of economic paradigms in Ilkhanid architecture. In Shanb Ghazan, the presence of multiple gates, markets, roads, and international merchants who were required to unload their goods there first highlights the city's commercial significance. It is likely that along the trade routes from Ghazaniyeh to the west, various cultures, techniques, and artistic methods were also exchanged. By constructing major trade highways, commercial and industrial centers, religious schools, factories, densely populated neighborhoods, and his own mausoleum in Soltanieh, Oljeitu concentrated all the elements and manifestations of the main pillars of governance—political, religious, and economic power—in one place, significantly impacting the status of Tabriz. It can be said that the Soltanieh complex had multiple functions, the most important of which was the political institution's exploitation to display power and legitimacy among other Muslim nations and European states through the construction of monumental architectural complexes and the assertion of commercial economic power in the strategically significant city of Soltanieh.
Keywords

References
Abu al-Fida, 1970, Taqwim al-Buldan, translated by Abdolmohammad Ayati, Tehran: Bonyad-e Farhang Publications. (in Persian)
Ali, Abolfazl, 2005, Archaeological Survey Report of Abhar, Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization (unpublished). (in Persian)
Ashtiani, Abbas Iqbal, 2010, History of the Mongols, 2nd ed., Tehran: Negah Publications. (in Persian)
Awliya Allah, Mohammad ibn Hasan, 1969, Tarikh-e Ruyan, translated by Manouchehr Sotoudeh, 1st ed., Tehran: Bonyad-e Farhang-e Iran. (in Persian)
Ayati, Abdolmohammad, 2004, An Edited Version of Tarikh-e Vassaf, Tehran: Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies. (in Persian)
Bayani, Shirin, 2018, The Mongols and the Ilkhanid Government in Iran, 13th ed., Tehran: SAMT Publications. (in Persian)
Beetham, David, 2011, The Legitimation of Power, translated by Mohammad Abedi Ardakani, 2nd ed., Yazd: Yazd University Press. (in Persian)
Belilan Asl, Leila, 2009, “The Influence of Roads on the Formation of the Structural System of Tabriz during the Qajar Period,” Humanities and Social Sciences Journal of the University of Tabriz, No. 29, pp. 35–60. (in Persian)
Chardin, Jean, 1956, The Travels of Jean Chardin, translated by Mohammad Abbasi, 2nd ed., Tehran: Amir Kabir Publications. (in Persian)
Clavijo, 1987, Travel Account, translated by Masoud Rajabnia, Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Publications. (in Persian)
Eskoui, Azita, Abdolhamid Noghrehkar, and Mohammad Ali Ki-Nejad, 2012, “The Spatial Organization of Ilkhanid Abwab al-Birr Cities,” Iranian Architecture Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 47–63. (in Persian)
Feyzi, Farzad, Habib Shahbazi Shiran, and Karim Hajizadeh, 2021, “Interaction and Semantic Relations of Legitimizing Codes in the Visual Elements of Ilkhanid Coins Based on Semiotic Approaches,” Iranian History after Islam, Vol. 13, No. 30, pp. 115–140. (in Persian)
Hafiz-i Abru, 1971, Supplement to Jami' al-Tawarikh, edited by Khan Baba Bayani, Tehran: National Monuments Society of Iran. (in Persian)
Hamzeh Lou, Manouchehr, 2002, Applied Arts in the Dome of Soltaniyeh, Tehran: Makan Publications. (in Persian)
Hatef Naiemi, A. (2022). The Ilkhanid City of Sultaniyya: Some Remarks on the Citadel and the Outer City. Iran, 60(1), 91-120.‏
Ibn al-'Ibri (Gregory Abu al-Faraj ibn Harun), 1985, Mukhtasar al-Duwal (A Short History of Dynasties), translated by Mohammad Ali Tajpour and Heshmatollah Riazi, Tehran: Ettela'at Publications. (in Persian)
Javadi, Hassan, 1999, Iran through the Eyes of European Travelers from Antiquity to the Early Safavid Period, Tehran: Buteh Publications. (in Persian)
Juvayni, Ala al-Din Ata-Malik, 1991, Tarikh-e Jahangusha (History of the World Conqueror), edited by Abdolvahhab Qazvini, 4th ed., Vols. 1–3, Tehran: Arghavan Publications. (in Persian)
Kashani, Abolqasem, 2005, Tarikh-e Oljeitu, edited by Mahin Hambly, 2nd ed., Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Publications. (in Persian)
Kashghari, Mahmud, 2005, Diwan Lughat al-Turk, edited by Hossein Mahmoudzadeh, Tabriz: Akhtar Publications. (in Persian)
Khvandamir, Ghiyath al-Din ibn Homam al-Din Hosseini, 1983, Tarikh-e Habib al-Siyar, edited by Mohammad Dabir Siaghi, 3rd ed., Vols. 3–4, Tehran: Khayyam Bookstore Publications. (in Persian)
Kiani, Mohammad Youssef, 1986, A Brief Survey of Urbanism and City Planning in Iran, 1st ed., Tehran: Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Publications. (in Persian)
Kiani, Mohammad Youssef, 1995, The Capitals of Iran, Tehran: Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization. (in Persian)
Kiani, Mohammad Youssef, 2010, The History of Iranian Architectural Art in the Islamic Period, 12th ed., Tehran: SAMT Publications. (in Persian)
Lane, George, 2011, Early Mongol Rule in Iran: The Iranian Renaissance, translated by Seyed Abolfazl Razavi, 2nd ed., Tehran: Amir Kabir Publications. (in Persian)
Marco Polo, 1971, The Travels of Marco Polo, with an introduction by John Masefield, translated by Habibollah Sahihi, Tehran: Translation and Publication Bureau. (in Persian)
Mehryar, Mohammad, Ahmad Kabiri, and Faeq Touhidi, 1985, “A Preliminary Survey and Investigation of the Towers and Fortifications of the Old Citadel of Soltaniyeh,” Athar Quarterly, No. 12, pp. 209–264. (in Persian)
Mirkhwand, Mir Mohammad Seyed Borhan al-Din, 2001, Rawzat al-Safa, translated by Jamshid Kiafar, Vol. 5, 1st ed., Tehran: Asatir Publications. (in Persian)
Mohajernejad, Alireza, 2009, Report of the First Season of Excavations at the Friday Mosque of Soltaniyeh, Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization. (in Persian)
Moradi, Amin, Seyed Rasoul Mousavi Haji, and Behrouz Omrani, 2015, “Rediscovering Architectural Form: Ghazan's Mausoleum in the Abwab al-Birr of Ghazaniyya and Its Role in the Development of Iranian Urbanism,” Bagh-e Nazar, Vol. 13, No. 42, pp. 33–44. (in Persian)
Moradi, Mohammad and Sanaz Jafarpour, 2013, “Urban Development during the Ilkhanid Period: An Analysis of the Urban Growth of Tabriz,” Iranian Architecture and Urban Planning, Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 89–102. (in Persian)
Mustawfi Qazvini, Hamdallah ibn Abi Bakr, 1957, Nuzhat al-Qulub, edited by Mohammad Dabir Siaghi, 1st ed., Tehran: Tahouri Publications. (in Persian)
Nourbakhsh, Masoud, 1985, Travelers of History, 1st ed., Tehran: Jeyran Publications. (in Persian)
Petrushevsky, Ilya Pavlovich, 1978, Agriculture and Agrarian Relations in Iran under the Mongols, translated by Karim Keshavarz, 3rd ed., Tehran: Nil Press. (in Persian)
Plato, 2022, The Republic, translated by Foad Rouhani, Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Publications. (in Persian)
Qazvini, Zakariya, 1987, Athar al-Bilad wa Akhbar al-'Ibad, translated by Abdolrahman Sharafkandi, Tehran: Andisheh-ye Javan Scientific Institute. (in Persian)
Rashid al-Din Fazlollah Hamadani, 1983, Jami' al-Tawarikh, edited by Bahman Karimi, 2nd ed., Vols. 1–3, Tehran: Iqbal Publications. (in Persian)
Razavi, Seyed Abolfazl, 2009, “The Position of Merchants in the Economy and Society of the Ilkhanid Period,” Historical Research, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 51–66. (in Persian)
Razavi, Seyed Abolfazl, 2011, City, Politics, and Economy in the Ilkhanid Period, Tehran: Amir Kabir Publications. (in Persian)
Runciman, Steven, 2014, A History of the Crusades, translated by Manouchehr Kashef, 7th ed., Vol. 3, Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Publications. (in Persian)
Safa, Zabihollah, 1976, History of Persian Literature, Vol. 3, abridged by Mohammad Torabi, Tehran: Ferdows Publications. (in Persian)
Sobouti, Houshang, 1990, A Study of the Historical Monuments of Soltaniyeh, Zanjan: Setareh Press. (in Persian)
Sobouti, Houshang, 2001, The Architecture of the Dome of Soltaniyeh in the Passage of Art, 1st ed., Tehran: Pazineh Publications. (in Persian)
Soleimaniyan, Moslem, Siavash Yari, and Zoleikha Amini, 2020, “The Economic and Political Causes of the Formation of Soltaniyeh in the History of Iranian Urbanism,” Quarterly Journal of the History of Urbanism in Iran and Islam, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 27–49. (in Persian)
Spuler, Bertold, 2018, The Mongols in Iran, translated by Mahmoud Miraftab, 11th ed., Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Publications. (in Persian)
Tabatabaei, Javad, 2016, The History of Political Thought in Iran: Reflections on Its Theoretical Foundations, 2nd ed., Tehran: Minou-ye Kherad Publications. (in Persian)
Turnbull, Stephen, 2017, The Mongols, translated by Mohammad Aghajari, 1st ed., Tehran: Sabzan Publications. (in Persian)
Vassaf al-Hazra, Fazlollah ibn Abdollah, 1959, Tarikh-e Vassaf al-Hazra, edited by Mohammad Mehdi Esfahani, Tehran: Ibn Sina Library and Ja'fari Library of Tabriz. (in Persian)
Wilber, Donald, 1986, Islamic Architecture of Iran in the Ilkhanid Period, translated by Abdollah Faryar, 2nd ed., Tehran: Elmi va Farhangi Publications. (in Persian).