The Complex of Gawhar Shad in Herat: New Findings about its Architecture and Ceramic Tile Decorations

Abstract

ABSTRACT The architectural complex commissioned by Gawhar Shad in Herat (820–841/1417–1438) constitutes one of the major foundations of the Timurid capital city. The site has sustained substantial damage over the centuries and very little is currently known about its architecture and decoration. Since the 1980s, access to it has been strictly limited due to the presence of landmines. This article aims to present the last archaeological surveys carried out on the site in recent years, and to introduce the first results of the study of the ceramic tiles collected on the “Musalla” and transferred to the National Museum of Herat in 2015.