Pseudoheptagonal Mosaic from the Hodja Ahmad Tomb, Samarkand

Emil Makovicky

doi:10.1007/s00004-018-0410-z

Pseudoheptagonal Mosaic from the Hodja Ahmad Tomb, Samarkand

Emil Makovicky^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Geology

Abstract

The pseudoheptagonal mosaic panel above the entrance to the mausoleum of Hodja Ahmad, Shah-i-Zindeh Necropolis in Samarkand, Uzbekistan consists of an intercrossed rib pattern on dark green background. It is a complex combination of eightfold rosettes with heptagons which enclose sevenfold stars. Analysis shows that it is based on a mixture of underlying 3.4.3².4 and 3³.4² configurations, invisible in the final pattern. Eightfold elements are regular whereas the sevenfold ones are pseudoheptagonal approximations. Additional, larger-scale circles and festoons which result from the basic geometry, further enliven the pattern. The Hodja Ahmad mosaic may be understood as an attempt to develop further the heptagonal patterns based on the underlying 3.4.3².4 tiling of squares and triangles.

Original language	English
Journal	Nexus Network Journal
Volume	21
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	657-667
Number of pages	11
ISSN	1590-5896
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00004-018-0410-z
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2019

Keywords

3.4 base pattern
Eightfold elements
Hodja Ahmad mausoleum
Pseudoheptagonal pattern
Samarkand
Sevenfold elements
Shah-i-Zindeh necropolis
Tympanum

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10.1007/s00004-018-0410-z

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title = "Pseudoheptagonal Mosaic from the Hodja Ahmad Tomb, Samarkand",

abstract = "The pseudoheptagonal mosaic panel above the entrance to the mausoleum of Hodja Ahmad, Shah-i-Zindeh Necropolis in Samarkand, Uzbekistan consists of an intercrossed rib pattern on dark green background. It is a complex combination of eightfold rosettes with heptagons which enclose sevenfold stars. Analysis shows that it is based on a mixture of underlying 3.4.32.4 and 33.42 configurations, invisible in the final pattern. Eightfold elements are regular whereas the sevenfold ones are pseudoheptagonal approximations. Additional, larger-scale circles and festoons which result from the basic geometry, further enliven the pattern. The Hodja Ahmad mosaic may be understood as an attempt to develop further the heptagonal patterns based on the underlying 3.4.32.4 tiling of squares and triangles.",

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doi = "10.1007/s00004-018-0410-z",

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AU - Makovicky, Emil

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AB - The pseudoheptagonal mosaic panel above the entrance to the mausoleum of Hodja Ahmad, Shah-i-Zindeh Necropolis in Samarkand, Uzbekistan consists of an intercrossed rib pattern on dark green background. It is a complex combination of eightfold rosettes with heptagons which enclose sevenfold stars. Analysis shows that it is based on a mixture of underlying 3.4.32.4 and 33.42 configurations, invisible in the final pattern. Eightfold elements are regular whereas the sevenfold ones are pseudoheptagonal approximations. Additional, larger-scale circles and festoons which result from the basic geometry, further enliven the pattern. The Hodja Ahmad mosaic may be understood as an attempt to develop further the heptagonal patterns based on the underlying 3.4.32.4 tiling of squares and triangles.

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KW - Pseudoheptagonal pattern

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KW - Sevenfold elements

KW - Shah-i-Zindeh necropolis

KW - Tympanum

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Pseudoheptagonal Mosaic from the Hodja Ahmad Tomb, Samarkand

Abstract

Keywords

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