8 ms·

For anyone interested, Iran has some amazing examples of mind bending mosque decoration. If you're a fan of maths, tesselation, art or architecture, it's all th

by kweks 9y ago

For anyone interested, Iran has some amazing examples of mind bending mosque decoration. If you're a fan of maths, tesselation, art or architecture, it's all there. They have a style that I can only describe as 3D honeycomb stalactites.. they when viewed from a specific angle all align perfectly to make repeating patterns. Ie: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/3b/5a/eb3b5a6ad5751fa0276a10633b82541a.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/eb/3b/5a/eb3b5a6ad5751fa0276a... Truly staggering works.

wavefunction 9y ago
If you like that you should read up on Islamic gardens[0], which combine a philosophy similar to feng shui with geometry. An Islamic garden is intended to represent a slice of Paradise on Earth, a refuge from the generally dry and dusty locale of much of Dar al-Islam. For instance, a proper Islamic garden should contain water features and be divided into quadrants to represent the four directions of the world, and further subdivided and structured in repeating and almost fractal designs. [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_garden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_garden
- mikhailfranco 9y ago
  The English word 'paradise' is from the Old Iranian word for 'walled garden'.
lfam 9y ago
That kind of cellular ornamented vaulting is called muqarnas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqarnas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqarnas
- kweks 9y ago
  Fascinating, thank you very much!
KGIII 9y ago
Bethany Hughes, BBC Doc... probably pirated... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vuTpN4WUI https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vuTpN4WUI Well worth watching, very related.
- techer 9y ago
  I'm in the UK. "This video contains content from Channel 4, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." So probably not pirated!
  - lake99 9y ago
    I'm not in the UK, and I could watch it just fine. Probably because Channel 4 blocked access to it in the UK, where they made use of the laws available to them. These laws likely don't let them enforce worldwide.
  - harry8 9y ago
    Yeah you see you paid for it so you /can't/ see it. I didn't so I can. Makes as much sense as anything in copyright nowadays. Everything the BBC does and has it its archive should be freely available to brits who've paid their tax directly to the BBC in the form of a licensing fee. The fact they withhold anything from the people who paid, in full, whether they wanted to or not for it is morally repugnant.
    - whiteandnerdy 9y ago
      Channel 4 is an independent for-profit company unaffiliated with the BBC.
      - DanBC 9y ago
        Channel 4 is a no for profit company. http://www.channel4.com/4viewers/viewer-promise http://www.channel4.com/4viewers/viewer-promise
        9y ago
vikascoder 9y ago
Too bad they are all bad people and need to be banned from entering the USA... jk! jk! When I hear something positive around Islam in the US, it makes my mind spin and I have to check if I have been suddenly teleported to an alternate reality where people have an actual interest in appreciating the rich cultures and their nuances and history.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- spiralganglion 9y ago
  In case it's unclear, I believe people are down-voting you because you speak as though everyone in the US is anti-Islam. The Trump government and their supporters may well be, but more broadly the anti-Islam sentiment is a fiction, especially among the intellectually curious and doing-our-best-to-be-welcoming HN audience. I know you probably meant well with your comment, it just feels bad because this is such a sore spot.
  - puranjay 9y ago
    I've never understood the Iran hate. Iranian culture is very distinct from Arab culture. It is truly one of the oldest and greatest human cultures, and it's a shame that more people don't get to experience it because of this irrational hatred and suspicion
    - fooker 9y ago
      >It is truly one of the oldest and greatest human cultures. Very little of that Iranian culture has survived the Islamic 'revolution'.
      - srean 9y ago
        There is some of it India. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irani_(India) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irani_(India) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#Prominent_Parsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#Prominent_Parsis
davidzweig 9y ago
Great country to visit too. https://goo.gl/photos/DpEkJ34wid9w11b28 https://goo.gl/photos/DpEkJ34wid9w11b28
- Grangar 9y ago
  I've been wanting to go to Iran for a long time! Did you go by yourself or with a tour agency? I feel like an organized tour would kill a lot of the allure but at the same time I think I would feel way too lost on my own.
  - davidzweig 9y ago
    "Citizens from the US, Canadia, US/American Samoa and U.K./B.O.T. are not allowed to travel to Iran independently and are required to travel on tours, either as part of a tour group or a tailor made individual tour." -- Wikitravel. But check if this has changed. I went on my own, with an Australian passport. I don't think English is widely spoken. You can use couchsurfing, there are lots of enthusiastic hosts. I think this is the best way. You can also easily find inexpensive hotels if you want to take a break. The app 'psiphon' (who runs it?) lets you access all websites while visiting (ie facebook), alternatively tor usually works. The info on Iran on this page is good: http://www.travelindependent.info/middle-east.htm http://www.travelindependent.info/middle-east.htm
    - Grangar 9y ago
      Thanks for your answer! How did you get around without English, did you learn Arabic / Farsi?

by kweks 9y ago

wavefunction 9y ago

If you like that you should read up on Islamic gardens[0], which combine a philosophy similar to feng shui with geometry. An Islamic garden is intended to represent a slice of Paradise on Earth, a refuge from the generally dry and dusty locale of much of Dar al-Islam. For instance, a proper Islamic garden should contain water features and be divided into quadrants to represent the four directions of the world, and further subdivided and structured in repeating and almost fractal designs. [0]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_garden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_garden

mikhailfranco 9y ago
The English word 'paradise' is from the Old Iranian word for 'walled garden'.

lfam 9y ago

That kind of cellular ornamented vaulting is called muqarnas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqarnas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqarnas

kweks 9y ago
Fascinating, thank you very much!

KGIII 9y ago

Bethany Hughes, BBC Doc... probably pirated... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vuTpN4WUI https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vuTpN4WUI Well worth watching, very related.

techer 9y ago
I'm in the UK. "This video contains content from Channel 4, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." So probably not pirated!
- lake99 9y ago
  I'm not in the UK, and I could watch it just fine. Probably because Channel 4 blocked access to it in the UK, where they made use of the laws available to them. These laws likely don't let them enforce worldwide.
- harry8 9y ago
  Yeah you see you paid for it so you /can't/ see it. I didn't so I can. Makes as much sense as anything in copyright nowadays. Everything the BBC does and has it its archive should be freely available to brits who've paid their tax directly to the BBC in the form of a licensing fee. The fact they withhold anything from the people who paid, in full, whether they wanted to or not for it is morally repugnant.
  - whiteandnerdy 9y ago
    Channel 4 is an independent for-profit company unaffiliated with the BBC.
    - DanBC 9y ago
      Channel 4 is a no for profit company. http://www.channel4.com/4viewers/viewer-promise http://www.channel4.com/4viewers/viewer-promise
      - 9y ago

vikascoder 9y ago

Too bad they are all bad people and need to be banned from entering the USA... jk! jk! When I hear something positive around Islam in the US, it makes my mind spin and I have to check if I have been suddenly teleported to an alternate reality where people have an actual interest in appreciating the rich cultures and their nuances and history.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
spiralganglion 9y ago
In case it's unclear, I believe people are down-voting you because you speak as though everyone in the US is anti-Islam. The Trump government and their supporters may well be, but more broadly the anti-Islam sentiment is a fiction, especially among the intellectually curious and doing-our-best-to-be-welcoming HN audience. I know you probably meant well with your comment, it just feels bad because this is such a sore spot.
- puranjay 9y ago
  I've never understood the Iran hate. Iranian culture is very distinct from Arab culture. It is truly one of the oldest and greatest human cultures, and it's a shame that more people don't get to experience it because of this irrational hatred and suspicion
  - fooker 9y ago
    >It is truly one of the oldest and greatest human cultures. Very little of that Iranian culture has survived the Islamic 'revolution'.
    - srean 9y ago
      There is some of it India. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irani_(India) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irani_(India) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#Prominent_Parsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsi#Prominent_Parsis

davidzweig 9y ago

Great country to visit too. https://goo.gl/photos/DpEkJ34wid9w11b28 https://goo.gl/photos/DpEkJ34wid9w11b28

Grangar 9y ago
I've been wanting to go to Iran for a long time! Did you go by yourself or with a tour agency? I feel like an organized tour would kill a lot of the allure but at the same time I think I would feel way too lost on my own.
- davidzweig 9y ago
  "Citizens from the US, Canadia, US/American Samoa and U.K./B.O.T. are not allowed to travel to Iran independently and are required to travel on tours, either as part of a tour group or a tailor made individual tour." -- Wikitravel. But check if this has changed. I went on my own, with an Australian passport. I don't think English is widely spoken. You can use couchsurfing, there are lots of enthusiastic hosts. I think this is the best way. You can also easily find inexpensive hotels if you want to take a break. The app 'psiphon' (who runs it?) lets you access all websites while visiting (ie facebook), alternatively tor usually works. The info on Iran on this page is good: http://www.travelindependent.info/middle-east.htm http://www.travelindependent.info/middle-east.htm
  - Grangar 9y ago
    Thanks for your answer! How did you get around without English, did you learn Arabic / Farsi?