Federica Duva | Università degli Studi "La Sapienza" di Roma (original) (raw)
Papers by Federica Duva
Vicino Oriente
This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Materi... more This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Material traces of the city have unfortunately been lost so we are forced to rely on Islamic literary sources alone. After an introduction discussing some aspects of the history of Gay, such as its foundation and possible founder, an attempt shall be made to reconstruct its layout according to the information available in medieval sources and through a comparison with the most renowned Sasanian circular city, Ardashīr Xwarrah/Fīrūzābād. Some hypotheses shall be advanced which aim to investigate new interesting features of the plan of Gay, in particular its connection with Sasanian astronomical beliefs.
Iran
ABSTRACT Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the I... more ABSTRACT Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the Italian Archaeological Mission at the Friday Mosque of Esfahan in 1970s and Islamic historical sources dealing with Esfahan, this paper aims to suggest a reconstruction of the layout of the first Abbasid mosque at Esfahan – attributed by the author to 767 – and of its first enlargement carried out a few years later. In particular, though two different models can be hypothesised for the 767 mosque, i.e. the so-called “Syrian plan” and the so-called “Arab-Iraqi plan”, some observations can be made that seem to pin down the latter as the actual prototype for the first Abbasid phase, thus revealing an influence of the Arab-Iraqi model in early Islamic Iranian architecture that was maintained in the enlarged plan of the mosque.
Eurasian Studies
The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to ... more The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to light by the Italian Archaeological Mission in the 1970s. An in-depth study of the unedited archaeological data obtained from the excavations has allowed the author to equate the mosque with the building described by some historical sources as having been erected close to the ancient nahr (canal) Farsān by the Abbasid governor Ayyūb ibn Ziyād in 767. This paper aims to present some new observations that support this hypothesis. In particular, extending the research to incorporate the study of the water canalization of Isfahan, mostly dated to the Safavid period, suggests the possibility that the mādī Fadan – an old branch of a canal running very close to the present-day mosque – could be identified with the nahr Farsān, thus confirming the identification of the excavated mosque with the 767 building.
Vicino Oriente, 2017
Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from... more Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from the Italian Mission, a new interpretation of both the topographical position and the precise dating of the first Abbasid Friday Mosque of Iṣfahān can be suggested, which departs from previous theories. Particularly, the date of 772 so far accepted by scholars should be called into question and a new and earlier date hypothesized.
MAḤABBATNĀMA. SCRITTI OFFERTI A MARIA VITTORIA FONTANA DAI SUOI ALLIEVI PER IL SUO SETTANTESIMO COMPLEANNO, 2020
EURASIAN Studies 17, 2019
The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to ... more The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to light by the Italian Archaeological Mission in the 1970s. An in-depth study of the unedited archaeological data obtained from the excavations has allowed the author to equate the mosque with the building described by some historical sources as having been erected close to the ancient nahr (canal) Farsān by the Abbasid governor Ayyūb ibn Ziyād in 767. This paper aims to present some new observations that support this hypothesis. In particular, extending the research to incorporate the study of the water canalization of Isfahan, mostly dated to the Safavid period, suggests the possibility that the mādī Fadan-an old branch of a canal running very close to the present-day mosque-could be identified with the nahr Farsān, thus confirming the identification of the excavated mosque with the 767 building.
M.V. Fontana (ed.), Istakhr (Iran), 2011-2016. Historical and Archaeological Essays. Sapienza University of Rome (Quaderni di Vicino Oriente), Rome , 2018
M.V. Fontana (ed.), Istakhr (Iran), 2011-2016. Historical and Archaeological Essays. Sapienza University of Rome (Quaderni di Vicino Oriente), Rome, 2018
The Kur and Pulvār rivers have represented the major water sources of the Marvdasht plain area si... more The Kur and Pulvār rivers have represented the major water sources of the Marvdasht plain area since ancient times. The aim of this paper is to track down these two streams in the written sources (Greek, Latin, Arab, Persian and modern European authors) and in particular to record the different names that have been given to them from the 1st BCE to the 19th century.
Iran, Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies , 2019
Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the Italian Ar... more Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the Italian Archaeological Mission at the Friday Mosque of Esfahan in 1970s and Islamic historical sources dealing with Esfahan, this paper aims to suggest a reconstruction of the layout of the first Abbasid mosque at Esfahan-attributed by the author to 767-and of its first enlargement carried out a few years later. In particular, though two different models can be hypothesised for the 767 mosque, i.e. the so-called "Syrian plan" and the so-called "Arab-Iraqi plan", some observations can be made that seem to pin down the latter as the actual prototype for the first Abbasid phase, thus revealing an influence of the Arab-Iraqi model in early Islamic Iranian architecture that was maintained in the enlarged plan of the mosque. KEYWORDS Esfahan; Abbasid period; Friday Mosque; first layout and enlargement; written sources The Masjed-e Jomeʾ of Esfahan is one of the oldest preserved congregational mosques in Iran, and is therefore of great importance for the history of Islamic archaeology and architecture. Many researchers have analysed its marvellous present-day design, but they have focused their attention especially on the later phases of construction (from the Saljuq period onwards), often neglecting its history as an Abbasid building so that very little is known about the historical and architectural genesis of the mosque. So far there is agreement among scholars on when the first Masjed-e Jomeʾ of Esfahan was built. 1 Indeed, it has generally been identified with the mosque constructed in 772 by the Banu Taym, one of the Arab tribes settled in the Esfahan region. Instead, in a recent article, I have attempted to shed new light on the history of this mosque , proposing a new date of construction (767) and its precise location. 2 This first mosque was intended as the congregational mosque of Yahudiyyeh, representing the centre of the new Abbasid authority and the symbol of the plain fulfilment of the ʿumma in the Esfahan area since the Islamic conquest. The importance retained by the mosque is much enlightened by the synoecism of rural centres which occurred after 767 around the foundation of Yahu-diyyeh with the consequent formation, in the following century, of the prodromal nucleus of proper Esfahan. The "Friday Mosque-market maydan" complex acted as an attractive magnet for the neighbouring population leading to such rapid and exponential growth of inhabitants in the area of the newly created city that it was necessary to enlarge the mosque only a few years after its erection. Consequently , a man named Khasib ibn Salm endowed the mosque with two plots of land adjacent to the edifice, an area that from then on was generally known as khasiba-badh. 3 This occurred at a certain point between 150 H./ 767 and 206 H./840-41, when the second Abbasid mosque was constructed by the caliph al-Muʿtasim, 4 thus resulting in the demolishment of the previous edifice. In this paper, an attempt shall be made to understand the layout of the mosque as it was originally planned by the Abbasid governor Ayyub ibn Ziyad in 767, and as it was redesigned in the years immediately after as a consequence of the enlargement. This will be achieved again
This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Materi... more This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Material traces of the city have unfortunately been lost so we are forced to rely on Islamic literary sources alone. After an introduction discussing some aspects of the history of Gay, such as its foundation and possible founder, an attempt shall be made to reconstruct its layout according to the information available in medieval sources and through a comparison with the most renowned Sasanian circular city, Ardashīr Xwarrah/Fīrūzābād. Some hypotheses shall be advanced which aim to investigate new interesting features of the plan of Gay, in particular its connection with Sasanian astronomical beliefs. Although the exact date of their foundation and even location is still shrouded in partial darkness, at least five cities with perfect or almost perfect circular plans seem to be ascribable to the Sasanian domain: Ardashīr Xwarrah/Fīrūzābād, Dārābgird, Veh Ardashīr, Takht-i Sulaymān, and Gay. Nevertheless, there is no specific literature on this topic and they are mentioned only in works about a single city or as a side issue when discussing other subjects, such as the origin of the plan of the ʿAbbasid capital, Baghdad. 1 This paper considers one of those cities, Gay, in the region of Isfahan (fig. 1), material traces of which have unfortunately been lost over time and the only information currently available must be inferred from medieval Islamic authors. The aim here is obviously not to fill this gap, but rather to provide something worth thinking seriously about for future research. Even if the written sources cannot be relied on fully, as they are often imprecise or linked to more fictitious than historical information, through a study of literary texts we shall attempt to make some observations about the foundation of Gay and its layout. These observations, although hypothetical without archaeological evidence, preliminary consider some aspects of the city's urban history that would be very interesting if investigated further.
Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from... more Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from the Italian Mission, a new interpretation of both the topographical position and the precise dating of the first Abbasid Friday Mosque of Iṣfahān can be suggested, which departs from previous theories. Particularly, the date of 772 so far accepted by scholars should be called into question and a new and earlier date hypothesized.
Books by Federica Duva
Talks by Federica Duva
Vicino Oriente
This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Materi... more This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Material traces of the city have unfortunately been lost so we are forced to rely on Islamic literary sources alone. After an introduction discussing some aspects of the history of Gay, such as its foundation and possible founder, an attempt shall be made to reconstruct its layout according to the information available in medieval sources and through a comparison with the most renowned Sasanian circular city, Ardashīr Xwarrah/Fīrūzābād. Some hypotheses shall be advanced which aim to investigate new interesting features of the plan of Gay, in particular its connection with Sasanian astronomical beliefs.
Iran
ABSTRACT Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the I... more ABSTRACT Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the Italian Archaeological Mission at the Friday Mosque of Esfahan in 1970s and Islamic historical sources dealing with Esfahan, this paper aims to suggest a reconstruction of the layout of the first Abbasid mosque at Esfahan – attributed by the author to 767 – and of its first enlargement carried out a few years later. In particular, though two different models can be hypothesised for the 767 mosque, i.e. the so-called “Syrian plan” and the so-called “Arab-Iraqi plan”, some observations can be made that seem to pin down the latter as the actual prototype for the first Abbasid phase, thus revealing an influence of the Arab-Iraqi model in early Islamic Iranian architecture that was maintained in the enlarged plan of the mosque.
Eurasian Studies
The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to ... more The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to light by the Italian Archaeological Mission in the 1970s. An in-depth study of the unedited archaeological data obtained from the excavations has allowed the author to equate the mosque with the building described by some historical sources as having been erected close to the ancient nahr (canal) Farsān by the Abbasid governor Ayyūb ibn Ziyād in 767. This paper aims to present some new observations that support this hypothesis. In particular, extending the research to incorporate the study of the water canalization of Isfahan, mostly dated to the Safavid period, suggests the possibility that the mādī Fadan – an old branch of a canal running very close to the present-day mosque – could be identified with the nahr Farsān, thus confirming the identification of the excavated mosque with the 767 building.
Vicino Oriente, 2017
Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from... more Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from the Italian Mission, a new interpretation of both the topographical position and the precise dating of the first Abbasid Friday Mosque of Iṣfahān can be suggested, which departs from previous theories. Particularly, the date of 772 so far accepted by scholars should be called into question and a new and earlier date hypothesized.
MAḤABBATNĀMA. SCRITTI OFFERTI A MARIA VITTORIA FONTANA DAI SUOI ALLIEVI PER IL SUO SETTANTESIMO COMPLEANNO, 2020
EURASIAN Studies 17, 2019
The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to ... more The first Abbasid Masjid-i Jumʿa in Isfahan, underneath the present-day building, was brought to light by the Italian Archaeological Mission in the 1970s. An in-depth study of the unedited archaeological data obtained from the excavations has allowed the author to equate the mosque with the building described by some historical sources as having been erected close to the ancient nahr (canal) Farsān by the Abbasid governor Ayyūb ibn Ziyād in 767. This paper aims to present some new observations that support this hypothesis. In particular, extending the research to incorporate the study of the water canalization of Isfahan, mostly dated to the Safavid period, suggests the possibility that the mādī Fadan-an old branch of a canal running very close to the present-day mosque-could be identified with the nahr Farsān, thus confirming the identification of the excavated mosque with the 767 building.
M.V. Fontana (ed.), Istakhr (Iran), 2011-2016. Historical and Archaeological Essays. Sapienza University of Rome (Quaderni di Vicino Oriente), Rome , 2018
M.V. Fontana (ed.), Istakhr (Iran), 2011-2016. Historical and Archaeological Essays. Sapienza University of Rome (Quaderni di Vicino Oriente), Rome, 2018
The Kur and Pulvār rivers have represented the major water sources of the Marvdasht plain area si... more The Kur and Pulvār rivers have represented the major water sources of the Marvdasht plain area since ancient times. The aim of this paper is to track down these two streams in the written sources (Greek, Latin, Arab, Persian and modern European authors) and in particular to record the different names that have been given to them from the 1st BCE to the 19th century.
Iran, Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies , 2019
Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the Italian Ar... more Following an in-depth study and comparison of the archaeological data collected by the Italian Archaeological Mission at the Friday Mosque of Esfahan in 1970s and Islamic historical sources dealing with Esfahan, this paper aims to suggest a reconstruction of the layout of the first Abbasid mosque at Esfahan-attributed by the author to 767-and of its first enlargement carried out a few years later. In particular, though two different models can be hypothesised for the 767 mosque, i.e. the so-called "Syrian plan" and the so-called "Arab-Iraqi plan", some observations can be made that seem to pin down the latter as the actual prototype for the first Abbasid phase, thus revealing an influence of the Arab-Iraqi model in early Islamic Iranian architecture that was maintained in the enlarged plan of the mosque. KEYWORDS Esfahan; Abbasid period; Friday Mosque; first layout and enlargement; written sources The Masjed-e Jomeʾ of Esfahan is one of the oldest preserved congregational mosques in Iran, and is therefore of great importance for the history of Islamic archaeology and architecture. Many researchers have analysed its marvellous present-day design, but they have focused their attention especially on the later phases of construction (from the Saljuq period onwards), often neglecting its history as an Abbasid building so that very little is known about the historical and architectural genesis of the mosque. So far there is agreement among scholars on when the first Masjed-e Jomeʾ of Esfahan was built. 1 Indeed, it has generally been identified with the mosque constructed in 772 by the Banu Taym, one of the Arab tribes settled in the Esfahan region. Instead, in a recent article, I have attempted to shed new light on the history of this mosque , proposing a new date of construction (767) and its precise location. 2 This first mosque was intended as the congregational mosque of Yahudiyyeh, representing the centre of the new Abbasid authority and the symbol of the plain fulfilment of the ʿumma in the Esfahan area since the Islamic conquest. The importance retained by the mosque is much enlightened by the synoecism of rural centres which occurred after 767 around the foundation of Yahu-diyyeh with the consequent formation, in the following century, of the prodromal nucleus of proper Esfahan. The "Friday Mosque-market maydan" complex acted as an attractive magnet for the neighbouring population leading to such rapid and exponential growth of inhabitants in the area of the newly created city that it was necessary to enlarge the mosque only a few years after its erection. Consequently , a man named Khasib ibn Salm endowed the mosque with two plots of land adjacent to the edifice, an area that from then on was generally known as khasiba-badh. 3 This occurred at a certain point between 150 H./ 767 and 206 H./840-41, when the second Abbasid mosque was constructed by the caliph al-Muʿtasim, 4 thus resulting in the demolishment of the previous edifice. In this paper, an attempt shall be made to understand the layout of the mosque as it was originally planned by the Abbasid governor Ayyub ibn Ziyad in 767, and as it was redesigned in the years immediately after as a consequence of the enlargement. This will be achieved again
This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Materi... more This paper examines the Sasanian allegedly circular city of Gay, in the region of Isfahan. Material traces of the city have unfortunately been lost so we are forced to rely on Islamic literary sources alone. After an introduction discussing some aspects of the history of Gay, such as its foundation and possible founder, an attempt shall be made to reconstruct its layout according to the information available in medieval sources and through a comparison with the most renowned Sasanian circular city, Ardashīr Xwarrah/Fīrūzābād. Some hypotheses shall be advanced which aim to investigate new interesting features of the plan of Gay, in particular its connection with Sasanian astronomical beliefs. Although the exact date of their foundation and even location is still shrouded in partial darkness, at least five cities with perfect or almost perfect circular plans seem to be ascribable to the Sasanian domain: Ardashīr Xwarrah/Fīrūzābād, Dārābgird, Veh Ardashīr, Takht-i Sulaymān, and Gay. Nevertheless, there is no specific literature on this topic and they are mentioned only in works about a single city or as a side issue when discussing other subjects, such as the origin of the plan of the ʿAbbasid capital, Baghdad. 1 This paper considers one of those cities, Gay, in the region of Isfahan (fig. 1), material traces of which have unfortunately been lost over time and the only information currently available must be inferred from medieval Islamic authors. The aim here is obviously not to fill this gap, but rather to provide something worth thinking seriously about for future research. Even if the written sources cannot be relied on fully, as they are often imprecise or linked to more fictitious than historical information, through a study of literary texts we shall attempt to make some observations about the foundation of Gay and its layout. These observations, although hypothetical without archaeological evidence, preliminary consider some aspects of the city's urban history that would be very interesting if investigated further.
Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from... more Following an in-depth study and comparison of historical sources and the archaeological data from the Italian Mission, a new interpretation of both the topographical position and the precise dating of the first Abbasid Friday Mosque of Iṣfahān can be suggested, which departs from previous theories. Particularly, the date of 772 so far accepted by scholars should be called into question and a new and earlier date hypothesized.