Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Master's Student, Handicrafts, Design Orientation, Faculty of Arts and Architecture, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran
2
department of Art, Hazrat-e Ma’soumeh University, Qom
3
Assistant Professor, Carpet Department, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran,
10.22111/jrm.2025.52321.1299
Abstract
This study, employing the social semiotic approach of Gunter Kress and Theo van Leeuwen, analyzes the visual manifestations of the Muharram ritual in Isfahan for the year 1403 AH. Within this framework, symbols and visual elements—such as vertical and horizontal banners, teardrop motifs, the form of the flag, and armband inscriptions—have been examined not only as decorative elements but also as texts carrying religious and mystical concepts. The findings indicate that the main structure of these visual manifestations is based on the teardrop form; a form that, like the cypress tree and raindrops, signifies concepts such as immortality, the continuity of life, and Shiite identity. Religious thought, especially Shiite Islam, plays a pivotal role in endowing meaning to these symbols, in such a way that tears, knowledge, and inscriptions are not only ritual signs but also carriers of sacred, mystical, and mythical concepts. From this perspective, urban space has become a platform for the manifestation, transmission, and perpetuation of religious and mystical messages within contemporary life. The analysis of these signs is grounded in three meta-roles—representation, interaction, and interpretation—along with the study of visual composition. The results show that the visual manifestations of Muharram in Isfahan, in addition to conveying religious values and Shiite identity, provide a basis for the ongoing invocation of Ashura concepts in today’s culture and play an effective role in preserving and transmitting the message of Imam Hussein’s (AS) movement in the city’s public space.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)