Exploring the Emergence and Evolution of the Parthian Iwan
FOIETTA, Enrico / BRUNO, Jacopo
In the eastern region, from Mesopotamia to Central Asia, passing through Iran, the iwan is one of the Parthian period’s most visible and characteristic architectural ‘design’ element. Generally defined as a room closed on three sides by walls, usually covered by a barrel vault and completely open on the fourth side by a full-wall arch, the iwan finds some of its most monumental realisations in the area of present-day Iraq and Iran during the Parthian and Sassanian periods. However, the origin and evolution of this architectural typology during the Parthian period remain largely unclear. Drawing on case studies from the Mesopotamian region and comparisons with the Iranian and Central Asian areas, this paper aims to offer insights and valuable elements to support a diachronic definition of the iwan's structural evolution, its morphological characteristics, and the techniques and materials employed in its construction.
Session 3. Urban and Landscape Studies: Finding Interpretative Approaches [info]