Analysis of the Symbolic Role of the Lime Stuccowork Arrays of Private Bathhouses in Sanandaj City During the Qajar Period.

To convey the content of Lime stuccowork carvings, artists have used encryption and symbolism and designed the carvings in a symbolic and stylized way, transmitting their message to the audience with the simplest design. The research method is descriptive, historical-comparative, which has been done through field investigation and library studies. Research questions are as following: 1. What motifs do the Lime stuccowork decorative elements include and what is the relationship between the motifs and the founders of the bathhouses? 2. From which sources the decorative arrays of the bathhouses are adapted? The results of the research show the employed decorative patterns consist of geometric, arabesque, vegetal, flower and vase, and animal and bird motifs. These decorative elements drew inspirations from nature, ancient beliefs, and archaism. Lime stuccowork has an important place among the decorative arrays of bathhouses. Due to the easy hammering of lime and its use as a resistant building material, it has been used in hot and humid areas of the bathhouse. The peak of this decorative art is related to the Qajar period. The use of plant, geometric and animal motifs, especially the image of birds such as peacocks and birds of paradise, has been used to decorate the main space of the Qajar bathhouses. What can be seen in the decorations of the Qajar era bathhouses is the evolved stage of the Lime stuccowork motifs and decorations of the Safavid and Zandiya periods. Some of the later motifs, such as arabesque and toranj, have evolved, but many others, such as Cedar motifs, lotus flowers, khatai, six feathers, and geometric motifs have their original shape. In addition to the decorative aspect, plant motifs in Qajar period arts are a symbol of omen, blessing, benevolence, fertility, immortality, and permanence of the kingdom. In the Qajar period, we see the growth and spread of images with literary and mythological themes that started from the Zandiyeh period. The presence of elaborate decorations in different spaces of the bathhouse shows the importance and status of the mansion owners. Mythological and symbolic animal motifs have been noticed in the decoration of the bathhouse walls. The use of a peacock in the Moshir Diwan and Sheikh al-Islam baths shows fertility and beauty, and the character of a goat shows being a leader. According to the social status of local judges, the lion is a symbol of power, and the sword in the hands of the lion and the talons of the eagle represent the administration of justice. The role of the lion, sun and sword in the decoration of these baths, as well as the use of balance and symmetry in most of its motifs, is probably related to the position of the builders of the buildings.