The Mythological Explanation of the Four Elements in the Space of Timurid Mosques: A Comparative Study of the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan and Goharshad Mosque

Abstract

Throughout history, Iranian mosques have embodied both esoteric and exoteric aspects rooted in the four elements within their architectural design, and they possess inherent symbolic and mythological dimensions. The present study aims to elucidate the mythology of the four elements in the spaces of Iranian mosques during the Timurid period, focusing on the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan and Goharshad Mosque. The research employs a qualitative methodology based on a phenomenological approach. Initially, a descriptive-interpretative method is used, followed by a qualitative approach in the research stage, a holistic-to-particular method in the reasoning stage, and a phenomenological method in the interpretation of the four elements and components of the structures in the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan and Goharshad Mosque. The results demonstrate that in the selected mosques, grounded in the understanding of the four journeys, the progression from earth to water, air, and fire, and the transition from the physical world towards the intermediate and afterlife worlds, in alignment with the four elements, sensory perceptions of spaces, archetypal images of elements and components, and proportions and movement towards the realm of imagination are consciously employed. This conscious application enables the representation of the myth of creation and death, which can be perceived and understood through the sequential transition of spaces. Based on the principles of spatial presence, the perception of knowledge and sensory experiences, and the phenomenological understanding of space, inlogical reasoning within the discussion, intuitive knowledge of spatial perception necessitates an archetypal behavior in users, with the goal of directing attention towards the metaphysical realm and perceiving the sacred.