Examining architectural structure and anatomical historical periodization jameh kabir mosque of tabriz

The Kabir (Grand) Mosque of Tabriz is one of Iran's valuable architectural buildings. Throughout history, it has been the site of official announcements of important events and fatwas from great governments during Tabriz's capital, including Rawadian, Yilian (Seljuqian tributary), Al-Chopan, and Al-Jalair (as local governments), Ilkhans, Turkomans, Safavids, and the Qajar period, where it was the seat of Iran's crown prince. According to historical documents, the formation of this valuable relicdates back to the beginning of Islam, but there are no original historical sources to support this claim. Due to severe earthquakes that occurred during the mosque's lifetime, changes in government, and the change of the mosque's founder, many changes have occurred in its architecture.The Grand (Jame) Mosque of Tabriz has been known as the Great Mosque (Jame Kabir) in old texts since the beginning of the 7th century, and during periods when magnificent mosques were founded by sultans and powerful ministers, such as Alishah Mosque, Rashidiyeh Mosque, Mozaffarieh Mosque (blue mosque complex), and Nasriyeh Mosque, it has always been referred to as the Great MosqueThe area of the bazaar and Jame Mosque has been within the old fortress of Tabriz since ancient times and has always been  part of the settled region of the city. During the Safavid and Qajar eras, important government decrees and orders were engraved on stone slates in the handwriting of the most famous calligraphers of the era, on huge marble slabs, and installed in prominent places of the mosque. Therefore, this mosque has been a significant and invaluable place since the ancient times, and its transitions are of considerable importance and indicate the style of each period. Despite this prominence, Tabriz Grand Mosque has not been fully and accurately studied, and its historical periods and shape and structure have not been adequately considered. In the early1970s, the Department of Archaeology conducted excavations  in the mosque  which resulted in quality  documentspublished as an article entitled "Research in Tabriz Jame Bazaar Mosque" by Mr. Vahabzadeh.This valuable report is primarily a description of the images and related items. According to the findings, the mosque has been planned in the form of a seraglio. However,  since the city of Tabriz is located on a fault, it has suffered significant damage during severe earthquakes, leading to many changes in the mosque’s shape.
 Despite the mosque's significance, there has been a lack of comprehensive research aimed at identifying the process of its physical transformations., Even in the existing research, these transformations are not examined in detail.
The purpose of this research is to conduct a comprehensive study that reviews available documents, categorizes developments, and presents a detailed account of changes and transformations of the Great Mosque.
The research methodology employed is descriptive-analytical, utilizing content analysis of historical documents and texts, field visits, and examinations of archaeological reports. The findings reveal that each occurrence of a significant earthquake resulted in the addition of various components to the remaining structures of the mosque, thereby altering its form and introducing new elements.