Islamic Geometric Tilework

Timeline

1. 1251–1260Isfahan · IranDuring the Ilkhanate period, buildings such as the Friday Mosque of Isfahan continued the Seljuk tradition of star and cross geometric inlay, using blue and turquoise glazed tiles to tile mihrabs and niche borders. Craftsmen used pre-fired molded bricks assembled on site to form eight- and ten-pointed star radiating patterns, a classic paradigm of Persian mosque decoration.
2. 1253–1260Konya · AnatoliaMadrasas and tomb buildings in Konya and elsewhere during the Sultanate of Rum and early beylik periods used glazed-tile geometric borders and Arabic calligraphic friezes to decorate entrances and pilasters. The combination of geometric patterns with Sufi religious architecture laid the craft foundation for the decoration of the Mausoleum of Rumi in the late 13th century.
3. 1256–1260Cairo · EgyptMosques and madrasas in Cairo sponsored by Mamluk sultans began to adopt geometric mosaic tilework (faience mosaic) on a large scale to decorate lintels and the bases of minarets, cutting and assembling strips of deep blue, white, and black tiles into complex star patterns. This craft later became one of the most distinctive visual hallmarks of Mamluk architecture.