An introduction to any subject is often the first thing to be read but the last to be written. Each of the topics discussed in this article could easily warrant a lifetime of study, and our knowledge of every one of them remains far from complete. In exploring Iranian civilization—or, more precisely, its visual expression through art—we have focused on five principal areas: the formation and evolution of Iranian architecture, best understood through direct study of the country’s monuments; sculpture, which traditionally accompanied architecture until the advent of Islam; glazed ceramic decoration, which subsequently assumed a similar role; metalwork; and numismatics, which offers particularly valuable historical insights. We have also examined ceramics, textiles, carpets, and painting more briefly. Above all, our aim has been to trace the continuity of Iranian artistic traditions despite successive foreign fashions and cultural influences.
Perhaps one of the clearest indications of the significance of Islam and its impact on ancient Iranian civilization is the revival and continued development of traditional Iranian architectural forms during the Islamic period. Until 1926, however, Iran’s artistic heritage was known to the outside world primarily through its decorative arts, whose masterpieces filled the collections and display cases of major public and private museums around the globe.
Iranian architecture, by contrast, remained largely unknown, even within Iran itself. This neglect stemmed partly from the limited interest in the country’s ancient heritage and partly from religious restrictions that prevented foreign visitors from entering certain sacred buildings. Travel was also difficult in an age when caravans were the principal means of transportation and roads were often in extremely poor condition. Consequently, the monuments described by travelers were relatively few and frequently drawn from the same well-traveled routes.
These routes formed a cross through the Iranian plateau. One ran from Tabriz to Bushehr, passing through Soltaniyeh, Qazvin, Qom, Isfahan, and Shiraz. The other extended from Qasr-e Shirin to Mashhad, via Kermanshah, Hamedan, Qazvin, Tehran, Damghan, and Nishapur. It is also worth noting that the accounts and illustrations produced by these travelers were not always consistent with one another, often differing considerably in their descriptions and interpretations of Iran’s monuments.