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Heritage, Volume 8, Issue 11 (November 2025) – 2 articles

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33 pages, 14778 KB  
Article
Techniques and Stylistic Characteristics of Stucco Decorations in Ilkhanid Architecture of Iran
by Atefeh Shekofteh
Heritage 2025, 8(11), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8110443 (registering DOI) - 22 Oct 2025
Abstract
Ilkhanid architecture occupies a distinctive position in the history of Islamic art through the development of highly elaborate stucco decoration. Despite their technical and artistic significance, these works have seldom been examined with respect to execution methods and design principles. That gap is [...] Read more.
Ilkhanid architecture occupies a distinctive position in the history of Islamic art through the development of highly elaborate stucco decoration. Despite their technical and artistic significance, these works have seldom been examined with respect to execution methods and design principles. That gap is addressed here through a field identification and classification of the techniques and stylistic patterns characteristic of Ilkhanid stucco in Iran. The analysis reveals that Ilkhanid craftsmen introduced several innovative methods in hand-carved stucco, such as Seh-gacha (very high relief) and Moshabbak (reticulated forms), as well as a specialized molding technique (Patta), frequently enriched with gilding—the earliest documented use of gilding in Iranian architectural stucco. These findings challenge the prevailing view of Ilkhanid stucco as merely a continuation of earlier traditions, instead demonstrating its role as a medium of experimentation and innovation. Key stylistic features include multilayered arabesques combined with inscriptions of varying scales (exemplified by the Mādar-o Farzand style), gypsum-plastered surfaces adorned with knotted Kufic and Bannāī inscriptions, complex geometric frameworks, and the earliest known trefoil arch mihrabs and muqarnas-like stucco mihrabs. Together, these results highlight the Ilkhanid contribution to the technical and aesthetic evolution of Islamic architectural ornament during the 13th–14th centuries. Full article
27 pages, 13055 KB  
Article
Neolithic Fishing Stations at Šventoji, Southeastern Baltic
by Gytis Piličiauskas, Kęstutis Peseckas, Algirdas Kalinauskas and Grzegorz Osipowicz
Heritage 2025, 8(11), 442; https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8110442 (registering DOI) - 22 Oct 2025
Abstract
Several examples of de-Neolithisation have been identified in the Eastern Baltic region, where communities of Neolithic cultures—particularly in areas rich in aquatic resources—shifted from animal husbandry to fishing, or at least significantly supplemented their subsistence with freshwater resources. One such case is Šventoji [...] Read more.
Several examples of de-Neolithisation have been identified in the Eastern Baltic region, where communities of Neolithic cultures—particularly in areas rich in aquatic resources—shifted from animal husbandry to fishing, or at least significantly supplemented their subsistence with freshwater resources. One such case is Šventoji in Lithuania, on the southeastern Baltic coast, primarily known for its numerous waterlogged sites with excellent preservation of wooden artefacts, dated to the Subneolithic (ca. 4000–2900 cal BC). In 2021 and 2024, investigations of three short-term stationary fishing sites, dated to the earlier part of the Neolithic (ca. 2850–2500 cal BC), provided an opportunity to compare Neolithic stationary fishing with its Subneolithic counterparts. At the beginning of the Neolithic, we identified a technological shift in the construction of fish weirs and traps: pine laths were replaced by round shoots of deciduous trees. In addition, exceptionally rare archaeological finds were uncovered at the Neolithic fishing sites of Šventoji—two stone battle axes with preserved wooden handles. Accordingly, alongside the study of Neolithic stationary fishing, this paper presents the results of radiocarbon dating (14C), taxonomic identification of the wood, and use–wear analysis of these two axes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Archaeological Heritage)
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