MARBLE THRONES IN BUKHARA AND SAMARKAND FROM THE TIMURID ERA TO THE LATE MANGHIT ERA (AN ARTISTIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY)

Central Asia is one of the most important regions of the Muslim
world historically, culturally, and architecturally. It houses many
architectural monuments throughout Islamic history, such as the
palaces whose reception halls contain thrones of the coronation
of princes. The present study aims to highlight the remaining marble
thrones in Bukhara and Samarkand from the Timurid Era to the
Late Manghit Era. It examines the development of their shapes
and decorative elements based on two models, i.e. the Throne of
Kök Tash in Samarkand citadel and the Throne of Bukhara in Ark.
To document and register these thrones, the study adopted the
analytical descriptive approach. It identified their raw materials,
manufacturing, decoration, decorative elements, location in the
palaces, models, and shapes based on the remaining models. The
study compared these models to counterparts in the paintings of
the Central Asian manuscripts. It concluded with a set of important results in the field of Islamic archaeology in Central Asia.