Papers by Moslem Mishmastnehi
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Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 2023
The mausoleum of Imāmzāda ʿAbdallāh (Markazī province, Iran) has been attributed to the period be... more The mausoleum of Imāmzāda ʿAbdallāh (Markazī province, Iran) has been attributed to the period between the 10th to 12th century AD. Its interior surfaces have been understood to be decorated in gypsum-based stuccos, but this research reveals the existence of hitherto unexpected compositions. Despite its significance for the history of Iranian architecture, this monument still lacks thorough scrutiny of its architecture and decoration. This study presents new insights into the monument’s history and unique artistic production of its architectural
decoration. It includes a full documentation of inscriptions, a detailed plan, and sections. Furthermore, it proposes a technological and stylistic comparison of the mausoleum’s revetments with Seljuk stuccos. Finally, the results of decorative materials’ analytical study reveal the nature of its decorative materials.
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Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2023
Studied by micro X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray... more Studied by micro X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and micro-Raman spectroscopy (µ-Raman), samples from thirteenth to fourteenth century lajvardina ceramics from various places in Iran (Takht-i Sulayman, Yazd, Sultaniya, Kashan and Rayy) showed tin oxide, haematite, chromite, manganese oxide and gold leaf have been employed on blue, turquoise and white alkali-lime and lead-alkali base glazes. It is suggested that while the overglaze decorations are metal oxides in a mixture with little amounts of their base glaze, the blue and turquoise inglaze decorations are most probably achieved by firing Co-and Cu-coloured powdered frits on a non-fired powdered base glaze, respectively. In addition, this article provides insight into the gilding decorations on lajvardina tiles by replicating several gilded samples. It is argued that a low-temperature firing has been employed for executing the overglaze lajvardina decorations on a pre-fired base glaze.
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Journal of Archaeological Science
Abstract The present study investigates for the first time a largely forgotten pyrotechnology for... more Abstract The present study investigates for the first time a largely forgotten pyrotechnology for manufacturing artificial millstones for Persian windmills and querns from Islamic period Sistan, a region in southeastern Iran. The unusual characteristics of these materials result from melting a sand-clay mixture at high temperatures. A unique experimental and multianalytical method was developed to understand the heating-cooling regime for manufacturing artificial millstones and other technical details of their production. According to chemical and microstructural analyses, these materials were melted between 1150 °C and 1250 °C and kept there for a period of 14–20 h, to be subsequently cooled down by 10–50 °C/h. Our experimental results for reproducing the microstructure of these objects show that any other temperature regime would be unsuccessful for manufacturing a functional millstone for these huge windmills which are usually referred to as the first wind turbines in the history of technology.
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Journal of Research on Archaeometry
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Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Abstract The Elamite period (ca. 3000 to 640 BC) hosts one of the earliest kingdoms to arise on t... more Abstract The Elamite period (ca. 3000 to 640 BC) hosts one of the earliest kingdoms to arise on the Iranian Plateau, and its metallurgy displays significant technical and industrial sophistication in comparison with the prehistoric period industries in other regions of Iran. This paper presents results of an analytical study of different metallurgical materials from the important Middle Elamite site of Haft Tappeh (ca. 1400 BC), including slags, metallic ingots/prills and objects. The samples were analysed by chemical and microanalytical methods including, ICP-OES, SEM-EDS, WD-XRF, EPMA and thin section petrography. Based on the results, the primary copper smelting process applied at Haft Tappeh was a partially incomplete smelting process that may be interpreted as a two-step procedure, including partial smelting of copper from sulphidic ores leading to matte production and refining the copper ingots/prills to obtain metallic copper. Also, the cementation of copper and cassiterite was the main process used to make tin bronze ingots/prills; however, for producing bronze, the ancient Elamite metalworkers might have known the direct smelting of mixed copper-tin ores as well. A third technique used at Haft Tappeh was the manufacturing of different, small objects made of impure copper and/or tin bronze. Thus, it is probable to introduce the copper-base metallurgy in Haft Tappeh as three main stages including copper smelting from sulphidic copper ores, the refining of early copper ingots/prills and production of tin bronze in different ways.
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Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
An analytical study was performed on copper alloy objects and ingots/prills from Haft Tappeh Midd... more An analytical study was performed on copper alloy objects and ingots/prills from Haft Tappeh Middle Elamite site, southwestern Iran, fourteenth century BC. The samples were analysed by micro-PIXE and SEM-EDS methods to characterise chemical composition and different phases in their microstructure. The results showed that the main objects’ compositions are copper with impurities and variable-Sn containing tin bronze. Furthermore, most of the ingots/prills are composed of copper with high concentration of iron and sulphur while in two samples tin bronze ingot/prill is detected. Based on the results, the main metallurgical operation in Haft Tappeh may be matte production to make metallic copper and producing tin bronze alloy probably by cementation.
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Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
Several organic reference materials including gums, proteins and oils, as well as the organic mor... more Several organic reference materials including gums, proteins and oils, as well as the organic mordant used for adhering gold leaf on ten archaeological Persian gilded tiles dated from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century were studied by Raman spectroscopy. The relative surface area under the spectral components of the C–H stretching region from the reference materials and archaeological samples were used as criteria for identifying the class of the organic material used as mordant. Our studies showed that a drying oil has most probably been used as mordant in the archaeological samples. Also, the possibility of the use of gum ammoniac as gilding mordant is considered.
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Heritage Science, 2015
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Heritage Science, Apr 16, 2015
Gilding decorations on Islamic tiles have been previously studied either historically or technolo... more Gilding decorations on Islamic tiles have been previously studied either historically or technologically. The major emphasis in these studies has always been focused on the use of gold leaf on glazed tiles. The current research has been conducted by electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), portable micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to shed light on a less-known technique of gilding applied on the nineteenth century haft rang glazed tiles of the Imamzadih Ismail mausoleum in Qazvin, Iran. Our observations showed that the gilding decorations are performed on a blue alkali glaze. Plant ash was suggested to be the source of alkali and cobalt was identified as the colouring agent of the glaze. Moreover, trace amounts of arsenic in the composition of the blue glaze was interpreted to be associated with the colouring agent of the glaze; i.e., cobalt. Furthermore, the gilding decorations were suggested to ...
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Journal of Archaeological Science, 2021
The present study investigates for the first time a largely forgotten pyrotechnology for manufact... more The present study investigates for the first time a largely forgotten pyrotechnology for manufacturing artificial
millstones for Persian windmills and querns from Islamic period Sistan, a region in southeastern Iran. The unusual
characteristics of these materials result from melting a sand-clay mixture at high temperatures. A unique
experimental and multianalytical method was developed to understand the heating-cooling regime for
manufacturing artificial millstones and other technical details of their production. According to chemical and
microstructural analyses, these materials were melted between 1150 ◦C and 1250 ◦C and kept there for a period
of 14–20 h, to be subsequently cooled down by 10–50 ◦C/h. Our experimental results for reproducing the
microstructure of these objects show that any other temperature regime would be unsuccessful for manufacturing a functional millstone for these huge windmills which are usually referred to as the first wind turbines in the history of technology.
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Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020
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Discussion of three kinds of windmills in ancient Iran, and the use of renewable energies in the ... more Discussion of three kinds of windmills in ancient Iran, and the use of renewable energies in the past
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Tims 14th Symposium 2015 Transaction, 2015
Lack of systematic archaeological research on Persian windmills (āsbāds) in Iran and Afghanistan ... more Lack of systematic archaeological research on Persian windmills (āsbāds) in Iran and Afghanistan has resulted in misleading restoration policies. The main problem of these policies is that they are directed to bring the āsbāds back to the old function. Archaeological and ethnographic investigations demonstrate that there are different groups of āsbāds with specific geographical distribution which should be preserved in different styles. Based on an archeological and ethnographic survey, this paper presents three different groups of āsbāds. Two of them, usually exist in the northern regions of Irano-Afghan border are ethnographically well documented; while the third one, more observed in the southern parts of it, shows a more complex technology and should be investigated with archaeological methods. According to this classification, a new perspective appeared which provide a more accurate conservation and restoration policy for windmills in Iran and/or Afghanistan.
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Papers by Moslem Mishmastnehi
decoration. It includes a full documentation of inscriptions, a detailed plan, and sections. Furthermore, it proposes a technological and stylistic comparison of the mausoleum’s revetments with Seljuk stuccos. Finally, the results of decorative materials’ analytical study reveal the nature of its decorative materials.
millstones for Persian windmills and querns from Islamic period Sistan, a region in southeastern Iran. The unusual
characteristics of these materials result from melting a sand-clay mixture at high temperatures. A unique
experimental and multianalytical method was developed to understand the heating-cooling regime for
manufacturing artificial millstones and other technical details of their production. According to chemical and
microstructural analyses, these materials were melted between 1150 ◦C and 1250 ◦C and kept there for a period
of 14–20 h, to be subsequently cooled down by 10–50 ◦C/h. Our experimental results for reproducing the
microstructure of these objects show that any other temperature regime would be unsuccessful for manufacturing a functional millstone for these huge windmills which are usually referred to as the first wind turbines in the history of technology.
decoration. It includes a full documentation of inscriptions, a detailed plan, and sections. Furthermore, it proposes a technological and stylistic comparison of the mausoleum’s revetments with Seljuk stuccos. Finally, the results of decorative materials’ analytical study reveal the nature of its decorative materials.
millstones for Persian windmills and querns from Islamic period Sistan, a region in southeastern Iran. The unusual
characteristics of these materials result from melting a sand-clay mixture at high temperatures. A unique
experimental and multianalytical method was developed to understand the heating-cooling regime for
manufacturing artificial millstones and other technical details of their production. According to chemical and
microstructural analyses, these materials were melted between 1150 ◦C and 1250 ◦C and kept there for a period
of 14–20 h, to be subsequently cooled down by 10–50 ◦C/h. Our experimental results for reproducing the
microstructure of these objects show that any other temperature regime would be unsuccessful for manufacturing a functional millstone for these huge windmills which are usually referred to as the first wind turbines in the history of technology.