ABSTRACT
Tilework holds a particular position among the numerous styles of decoration in post-Islamic Persian architecture. While several techniques of producing tiles were used in the Islamic period of Iran, the haft-rang method gained great popularity in the Qajar period (1783–1924). In this technique, the different shapes are applied with differently colored glazes on a single tile. Several tile workshops were active in the late 19th century in the historical city of Shiraz. This study means to introduce the structure of the Shiraz Qajar tile workshop and the traditional production process of haft-rang tile. It investigates the traditional system of apprenticeship in a Qajar tile workshop and the tasks of the main craftsman and his professional skills, exploring a wide range of natural materials in creating tiles and colored glazes in the Qajar tile workshops.
