Anthropomorphic motifs in Kubadabad Palace and unique designs

The Kubad-Abad Palace belonging to the Anatolian Seljuk Period was built in Konya by Alaaddin Keykubad between 1235-1236. Palace tiles appear as eight-pointed star and cross-shaped crossing compositions. In addition to using human and animal figures, plant and geometric motifs and writing, surface anthropomorphic motifs are also included. Among the figurative motifs, tiles with human figurative are reflecting Asian features. These tiles, exhibiting different postures, were studied in four categories as sitting and standing human figures, portraits and other human figures. Wild animals and pets, various birds and fabulous animals are another category at the Kubad-Abad Palace. In this direction, figures of palace ornaments which are wild animals and fabulous animals, have been used for many meanings. There are palmets, lotus, pomegranate, poppy, rumi and life tree motifs among the herbal beads commonly used with animal figures in Turkish tiles. There are theories about the meanings of geometric motifs, badges and medallions which show themselves both as compositions and ornaments in palace tiles. The examples of these ornaments are often associated with infinity and astronomy. The writing element of the Seljuk ornamentation art comes out as a symbolic element used as a secondary motif in the palace tiles. The most interesting group that decorates the Kubad-Abad Palace is anthropomorphic motifs. The examples in the palace tiles about anthropomorphism derived from Greek forms and human words have been examined under the heading of Hüma Bird, Sun motif and Sphinx. The examples of stand-alone and along various ornaments of female headed, bird bodied Hüma figure, which appears with various postures in palace tiles have been examined. Another anthropomorphic motif, the solar motif, is handled in a wide variety of geographical and cultural interactions. The human headed Sphinx with winged lion body, has also been included in this group of humanoid figures,with researches about various beliefs. As a result of iconographic research, these mysterious, humanistic motifs can be seen as the heroes of many legendary stories.