THE REGISTAN COMPLEX IN SAMARKAND IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERCULTURAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CENTRAL ASIA, IRAN, AND THE BYZANTINE WORLD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/uad.2026.2.15Keywords:
iconography, tradition, composition, visual arts, artistic culture, style, artistic techniques, architecture, synthesis of the artsAbstract
This article aims to conduct a comprehensive art-historical study of the Registan architectural ensemble in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, as a significant artistic phenomenon of Central Asia that reflects complex processes of intercultural interaction, exemplified through the architecture of the Timurid period of the Late Middle Ages. The analysis focuses not only on the architectural structure of the ensemble, the history of its formation, and its functional purpose, but also on a detailed examination of its decorative program, ornamental systems, chromatic solutions, and iconographic motifs that define its artistic distinctiveness. Particular attention is given to identifying and interpreting sources of artistic inspiration evident in the ensemble’s decoration, which reflect the interaction of artistic traditions of Central Asia, Iran, and the Byzantine world. The primary objective of this study is to determine which artistic, cultural, and ideological influences shaped the visual system of the Registan ensemble and how these influences were incorporated into its architectural and decorative design. In this context, special importance is attached to tracing the synthesis of local Central Asian traditions with the Iranian artistic heritage, particularly that of Sasanian Iran, as well as to identifying parallels with decorative and iconographic principles of Byzantine art. The examination of these influences enables the demonstration of how artistic motifs developed in diverse cultural environments were integrated into a unified artistic system within the ensemble and reflected broader cultural exchange processes at the intersection of civilizations. Among the key objectives of the research are the analysis of the architectural and spatial organization of the ensemble, the identification of the characteristics of its decorative program, the determination of stylistic and typological parallels with monuments of Iran and the Byzantine world, and the examination of the role of intercultural contacts in shaping its artistic language. Particular attention is also devoted to the study of ornamental and epigraphic compositions combining geometric, vegetal, and symbolic elements. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of individual structures within the ensemble, allowing for a deeper understanding of the artistic unity of the Registan and its significance as a representative center of urban space. The implementation of these research objectives contributes to a deeper understanding of the development of Central Asian art and highlights the role of the Registan ensemble as an important center of cultural synthesis reflecting the interaction of diverse artistic traditions of the medieval world.
References
Дмитренко, Н. В. (2025). Античні та сасанідські впливи у художній стилістиці весільних поясів та натільних ланцюгів Візантійської імперії. АртПлатформа, 12(2), 226–253. https://doi.org/10.51209/platform.2.12.2025.226-253
Дмитренко, Н. В. (2025). Дім Хаджі-аги Бабовича: караїмська спадщина на перетині візантійської та ісламської культур. Українська культура: минуле, сучасне, шляхи розвитку (напрям культурологія), (51), 106–117. https://doi.org/10.35619/ucpmk.51.1031
Behrens-Abouseif, D. (1989). Islamic architecture in Cairo: An introduction. Brill. 200 p.
Blair, S., & Bloom, J. (1994). The art and architecture of Islam 1250–1800. Yale University Press. 448 p.
Brend, B. (1991). Islamic art. British Museum Press. 216 p.
Canby, S. R. (1999). The golden age of Persian art 1501–1722. British Museum Press. 240 p.
Carboni, S. (2001). Glass from Islamic lands: The Al-Sabah collection. Thames & Hudson. 384 p.
Cutler, A. (1994). The hand of the master: Craftsmanship, ivory, and society in Byzantium (9th–11th centuries). Princeton University Press. 320 p.
Dmytrenko, N. (2025). The image of the Kay Kavus in the works of decorative and applied art of Byzantium and Iran. Anastasis. Research in Medieval Culture and Art, 12(1), 9–27. https://doi.org/10.35218/armca.2025.1.01
Ettinghausen, R., Grabar, O., & Jenkins-Madina, M. (2001). Islamic art and architecture 650–1250. Yale University Press. 344 p.
Flood, F. B. (2009). Objects of translation: Material culture and medieval “Hindu-Muslim” encounter. Princeton University Press. 384 p.
Golombek, L., & Subtelny, M. (Eds.). (1992). Timurid art and culture: Iran and Central Asia in the fifteenth century. Brill. 350 p.
Grabar, O. (1987). The formation of Islamic art. Yale University Press. 357 p.
Hillenbrand, R. (1994). Islamic architecture: Form, function and meaning. Edinburgh University Press. 645 p.
Komaroff, L., & Carboni, S. (Eds.). (2002). The legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly art and culture in Western Asia, 1256–1353. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 288 p.
Mango, C. (1976). Byzantine architecture. Harry N. Abrams. 400 p.
Necipoğlu, G. (1995). The Topkapi scroll: Geometry and ornament in Islamic architecture. Getty Center. 416 p.
O’Kane, B. (1987). Timurid architecture in Khurasan. Mazda Publishers. 280 p.
Roxburgh, D. J. (2005). The Persian album, 1400–1600: From dispersal to collection. Yale University Press. 392 p.
Sims, E. (2002). Peerless images: Persian painting and its sources. Yale University Press. 288 p.
Soucek, P. (1996). Timurid architecture. In J. Turner (Ed.), The dictionary of art. Macmillan.
