The Uzun Hasan Mosque in Tabriz: New Perspectives on a Tabrizi Ceramic Tile Workshop

Abstract

The recent rediscovery of the mosque erected around 1477–84 (882–89) in Tabriz by the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Uzun Hasan (r. 1457–78]) provides new perspectives on ceramic tile production in the former Turkmen capital. The Blue Mosque and its exceptional tile decoration have long been considered to be the last vestiges of the innovative features of the Qara Qoyunlu workshops in Tabriz. The recovery of the Uzun Hasan Mosque sheds new light on this prestigious artistic center: besides confirming the innovative traits of Tabrizi production, its architectural decoration highlights the strong artistic continuity from Qara Qoyunlu to Aq Qoyunlu workshops. These unusual ceramic tiles also constitute a previously unknown stage in the history of Iranian ceramic tiles.