Tile from a squinch, second half of 14th century; Timurid
Samarqand, Uzbekistan
Earthenware, glazed
Technical Glossary
Samarqand, Uzbekistan
Earthenware, glazed
12 1/8 x 8 5/8 in. (30.8 x 21.9 cm)
The Grinnell Collection, Bequest of William Milne Grinnell, 1920 (20.120.189)
Often called muqarnas, or "stalactite," in Arabic, these architectural elements were used to fill squinches to provide a satisfactory transition between a square room and its domed ceiling. Muqarnas, however, were also employed as simple decorative devices to enrich the appearance of soffits, cornices, capitals of columns, and interiors of domes.
