Wood, glass, geometry – stained
glass in Iran and Azerbaijan
By Marina Alin on January 21, 2014 in Crafts, Wood Work · 4 Comments
In this article I am sharing my experience of visiting traditional stained glass
workshops in Iran and Azerbaijan. I am not aware if this kind of craft is unique for the
region I am writing about or it can be found in other Islamic countries. If you have
more information than I do, could you possibly let me know.
Shebeke from National museum of history of Azerbaijan in Baku
Window where small pieces of glass were joined together with some kind of binder
firstly was a result of technological restriction – craftsmen did not know how to make
a large piece of glass. Then the idea of making a decorated window out of coloured
pieces of glass painted with religious motifs and combined in way to form a picture
popped up. Traditionally in stained glass windows of Catholic cathedrals in Europe
strips of lead were used as binders.
The technique of stained glass production in Azerbaijan and Iran is different from
European. Instead of lead, strips of wood are used. A strip of wood has channels
where glass is inserted. Channels are normally used in traditional woodwork to
connect up two pieces of wood together without using nails. The glass is placed inside
channels and wooden strips are glued together. The width of a channel is equal to the
glass thickness. In the past a 3mm-thick glass was used, but now it is mostly of 5 mm
thickness. A panel of wooden stained glass is solid and durable; it can stand a stroke
of a man or a strong wind. The design of wooden stained glass based on geometry of a
square or a triangle is widespread. Colours are very bright greens, reds, blues and
yellows. Sometimes colourless glass is used.
In Azerbaijan wooden stained glass is called ‘shebeke’. Basically, ‘shebeke’ is a stone
grill, but this term is also used for the wooden grill. In Azerbaijan ancient town of
Sheki is a centre for shebeke production and restoration. Sheki Khan Palace built in
18th century is lavishly decorated with shebeke. Along with geometric shapes there
are biomorphic rhomb-shaped motifs. The work is really intricate – some of the
constructions are smaller than a female’s hand.
In Iran wooden lattice windows was used as an architectural feature in all kinds of
buildings. Magnificent Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz built in the 19th century is
famous all over the world for its stained glass decoration. Ali-Qapu palace and coffee
house in Shesh Behesht garden, Madar-e-Shah medresse, old mosques in Isfahan – all
of them have wooden grills on their windows. In Iran I noticed that the glass is placed
behind the lattice. I guess that it is a result of lattice restoration and historically glass
was placed inside wooden cells.
The spiritual meaning of a stained glass lattice window most likely comes from a
contrast between light and the absence of light. Light reveals shape and colour; light
makes things possible and represent Divine enlightenment. Practically the widespread
use of wooden grills (as all other kinds of grills) in Islamic countries can be explained
by the need for protection from a daytime heat. It is one of the features that traditional
Islamic architecture has in order to help people to feel comfortable inside the building
despite on the temperature outside.
The skill of wood windows production and restoration is transferred from father to
son. When I was searching for information about shebeke in Azerbaijan I came across
an article written in 1977. It was about Sheki master craftsmen whose name was
Ashraf Rasulov and his teenager son Tofik. In this article Ashraf says that there are 16
different types of shebeke patterns in Sheki Khan Palace. Among other shebeke
constructions from Sheki Khan Palace that Ashraf restored was a little door. The
quantity of wooden pieces he needed to carve out for this door was about 14000! He
tried different kinds of wood and found out that beeсh wood and sycamore tree are the
best for refine carving.
Ashraf’s son Tofik Rasulov, who is about 50 now, is the only master in Azerbaijan
who knows the secret of shebeke craft. He kindly showed us around his workshop
nearby Sheki Khan Palace and the technique of shebeke production. Another wood
workshop that we visited – Ghaznavi – is in Isfahan. It is run by a master craftsman
and his son. Both master craftsmen have at least one student to teach and it gives hope
that the craft will stay alive.
I want to thank Farkhondeh Ahmadzadeh for the trip to Iran, Asmer Abdullayeva for
the trip to Sheki and Roya Mai Souag for her photos.
Stained glass in Dolat Abad garden wind tower building in Yazd, Iran
Nasir Al-Mulk mosque in Shiraz, Iran, 19th century. Photo source – raweesh.livejournal.com
Sheki Khan palace interior, 18th century
Shebeke and wood workshop in Sheki
Wood workshop Ghazavi in Isfahan, photo by Roya Mai Souag
Shebeke and wood workshop in Sheki
Wood workshop Ghazavi in Isfahan
Wood workshop Ghazavi in Isfahan
Wood workshop Ghazavi in Isfahan
Wood workshop Ghazavi in Isfahan, photo by Roya Mai Souag
Shebeke door decoration in Baku, Azerbaijan
Shebeke in Sheki Khan palace, 18th century
Sheki Khan palace interior, 18th century, photo by gdruslan
Shebeke in Sheki Khan Palace, 18th century
Sheki Khan palace interior, 18th century, photo by Peretz Partensky – Creative Commons license
Sheki Khan palace interior, 18th century
Shebeke from National museum of history of Azerbaijan in Baku
Sheki Khan palace interior, 18th century
Window in Medresse Madar-e-Shah, Isfahan. Photo by Roya Mai Souag
Window in Zayed mosque in Isfahan
Window in Zayed mosque in Isfahan
Window in Shesh behesht garden coffee house, Isfahan
Window in Shesh behesht garden coffee house, Isfahan. This photo shows that the glass is behind the wooden lattice
Window in Ali-Qapu palace, Isfahan
Window in Ali-Qapu palace, Isfahan
Shebeke master Tofik Rasulov at the entrance of Sheki Khan palace
Shebeke master Ashraf Rasulov, the father of Tofik Rasulov, in 1977. Photo source – www.vokrugsveta.ru