Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Assistant Professor of Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (ICAR), Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Tehran, Iran
2
. Ph.D Student in Restoration and Conservation of Historical Buildings and Urban Fabrics, Faculty of Conservation and Restoration, University of Art, Tehran, Iran
3
Master of Conservation and Restoration of Historical Building fabric, Faculty of Architecture, University of Tehran, Tehran, Chef of design atelier, Gonbad Davar Khane Torab company, Yazd, Iran
4
Graduated from Master of Architecture, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Historical monuments in Iranian cities serve as repositories of Iranian-Islamic identity, with every brick, wall, and tile carrying the long-term memory of events and occurrences that have shaped these structures over time. The legacy of the people and governments that have forged our historical memory and national identity is embedded in these edifices, and their study-along with archaeological research-opens a window into the historical identity of this land. Indeed, archaeological studies can be considered an inseparable part of Iranology research, offering direct insight into the depths of history.
Yazd is an ancient city with a unique historical fabric. Recognized for its significance as the largest inhabited adobe complex in the world, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2017 (UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 2017) (Fig. 1). The city of Yazd and its historic neighborhoods developed and expanded from the medieval Islamic period onward, and even today, a significant portion of Yazd’s population continues to reside within its historic core. Despite this distinctive characteristic, archaeological studies in Yazd and its province have not received adequate attention. Consequently, a wealth of information-encompassing cultural, historical, architectural, urban planning, and folkloric data, all crucial for understanding the cultural and historical evolution of the people of Iran—remains undocumented and risks being lost without proper study, recognition, and publication.
Fortunately, the archaeological research project at the Mausoleum of Sultan Sheikhdad in Yazd has yielded valuable findings, which this article seeks to present. This project constitutes a historical-archaeological investigation of the mausoleum, a funerary structure built in the 8th century AH (Ilkhanid-Muzaffarid period) over the tomb of Taqi al-Din Dada Muhammad, a follower of the Pirandadiyan order and the founder of the Dadaiyya lineage.
Archaeological Excavations in the Southern Chamber of the Sultan Sheikhdad Mausoleum
On the southern side of the mausoleum, facing the Goldasteh Mosque, lies a small chamber that-based on extant architectural evidence-appears to be an original part of the structure. Unfortunately, in recent decades, it had been repurposed as a storage room (Fig. 10). However, in the northern corner of the chamber, sections of a tile-decorated grave, strikingly similar to those in the main burial section of the mausoleum, were observed. Excavations in this chamber were conducted in two phases (June and September 2024), supported by the Yazd Provincial Office of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts (Azizi Kharanaghi, 2024). The first phase involved test trenches in the northwestern and southern sections of the room, while the second phase-prompted by the significance of initial findings-extended to the complete excavation of the remaining floor area to a depth of approximately 1.5 meters, revealing the original floor level of the structure.
Designated as the "Burial Chamber," this rectangular room (814 × 439 cm) is oriented northwest-southeast and features three entrances in the northern, western, and southern walls (the northern and western entrances are blocked, while the southern entrance was likely reopened during the Qajar period). Additionally, two niches are embedded in the eastern wall, adjacent to the southern side of the main dome (Fig. 11). The excavations uncovered 14 brick and tile-decorated graves, spanning the Ilkhanid, Timurid-Safavid, and later Qajar periods, with evidence of both primary burials and secondary depositions. Most graves had been disturbed or destroyed due to later interments and unauthorized digging during the Qajar era.
Conclusion
What was once introduced as a storage room has now emerged as a testament to the growing attention toward archaeological studies in Yazd. Prior to excavation, the sheer diversity of architectural and archaeological data within this space was unimaginable. Following complete soil removal and the identification of the original floor level, we now confront a space that narrates historical events spanning from the Muzaffarid period to the late Qajar era in this section of Yazd’s historic fabric.
Based on the findings, it can be concluded that this chamber was originally part of the main structure during its Ilkhanid/Muzaffarid construction phase in the late 7th century AH. The room featured an entrance from the main courtyard through its northern wall, another entrance in the northwest, and a mihrab in the southern wall opposite the northern entrance. The discovery of brick graves with decorative khefteh-rasta patterns suggests that the chamber was initially used for burials-likely of elites or individuals of significance-during this early phase.
In the subsequent Timurid-Safavid period, despite the shift to Shi’ism, historical sources confirm the continued veneration of the Dadaiyya order and Sultan Sheikhdad, as well as Sufi traditions in Yazd. During this phase, prominent figures-presumably affiliated with Sheikhdad and his followers-were buried around his mausoleum. Three tile-decorated graves, identified in the first excavation season and paralleled by similar examples near Sheikhdad’s own tomb, belong to this period. These graves feature hexagonal turquoise-glazed tiles on their walls, with inscribed mosaic tile borders encircling the graves and bearing repetitive Salawat invocations. Traces of hexagonal turquoise tiles were also found atop the graves.
The post-Safavid era, marked by Afghan dominance in Yazd and widespread sectarian conflicts, saw the deliberate destruction of inscriptions bearing the names of the Shi’a Imams from the tile borders-though the graves themselves remained intact. The chamber still maintained access to the main mausoleum, with its entrances unblocked.
By the Qajar period, heightened mortality rates and the practice of temporary burials (for later transfer to holy shrines) prompted significant alterations to the chamber. The northern and northwestern entrances were sealed, the mihrab was breached to open a passage to the alley, and crude mudbrick partitions (2 m long, 1–1.5 m high) were erected atop the earlier Muzaffarid-era brick graves. The space was repurposed for mass burials, often disregarding Islamic burial norms, qibla alignment, and grave integrity-evidenced by frequent reopenings, corpse relocations, and the creation of ad-hoc ossuaries for human remains.
The excavations yielded diverse cultural artifacts, including intact pottery vessels and ceramic fragments from the Ilkhanid, Safavid, and Qajar periods. Notably, compelling evidence of Qajar-era folk beliefs and cultural practices emerged, including numerous objects associated with magic and sorcery.
Keywords
)