ANALYZING DESIGNS AND PATTERNS OF TOMBSTONES IN BOZELAR HAFSHEJAN CEMETERY AND SIRAK ARMENIAN CEMETERY WITH A COMPARATIVE-ANALYTICAL APPROACH (EMPHASISING ON PLANT AND ANIMAL DESIGNS AND PATTERNS)

Tombstones in areas where people are famous for their industrialism and artistic taste, as well as ancient civilization and culture, are worthwhile to be examined from several aspects. The designs and motifs on the tombstones, with a theme related to the category of life and death, are a treasure house of codes and symbols. In this regard, " Bozelar Hefshjan" and "Aramene Sirak" cemeteries are such exemplary
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The carved motifs on the graves of " Bozelar " cemetery in Hefshjan and the Armenian village of "Sirak" located 4 km away in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, are important in terms of artistic values, influencing each other.
Analytical and comparative study of these two sites is done concerning both contemporary Islamic and Christian attitudes towards the category of art on graves, and the influence of native visual art and culture. Not many researchers claim that cemeteries and the shapes and patterns of their tombstones are affected by dominant idealogy.
This research with a descriptive-analytical approach, focuses on the nature of the artistic values contained in the tombstones of above-mentioned areas, especially botanical and animal motifs (which have a wide symbolic connection to the category of life and death) and their interaction. Despite their two different religions, these cemetries are valuable examples for sociological studies in the cultural exchanges between Iranians and visiting immigrants. The method of data collecting is mainly based on fieldstudy.
This research shows that despite the very basic differences in looking at the category of life and death (as the most important categories of religion) contained in different religions; where art and beauty come together, barriers and color distinctions disappear and beyond religious identity distinctions, the language of art and beauty as the common language of humans prevails over other language and identity distinctions. It also shows that Iranian culture has no resistance of its own in dealing with the cultural values of others, where beauty and art are involved.
A kind of inherent artistic feature in the gravestones and the historical sequence of these changes that have lost their linguistic meanings with the passage of time and left behind an ethereal form of technique and industry combined with art and beauty, has caused the cemeteries to tempt tourists to visit them. Not so long ago, the idea of spending free time and exploring the cemetery was impossible or considered as a sick hobby. But now that artistic sparkles and symbolic forms, from the shape of the tombstone to the variety of designs on the stones, have become the face of the image and landscape of the cemetery; A special visual-tourist function has been given to these collections.