This is the first authoritative work to investigate the historical buildings of Iran from the perspective of structural engineering. It presents an account of the structural and architectural characteristics of Iranian historical structures. A chronological description of architectural styles is included, which covers from the earliest structures to the present day. Also included are chapters on traditional construction materials, arches, vaults, domes, minarets and waterworks. Special parts of the book deal with the structural analysis of historical domes, minarets and wooden structures, followed by comments on maintenance. The last part of the book proposes several historical structures as research topics for future work. Forming a technical source of information, Tradition Today provides a wide structural scope for further research into the historical buildings of Iran.

Chapter 1 - Introduction
Prologue
Persia and Iran
General Background

Chapter 2 - Ars sine scientia nihil: knowledge in Persian architecture

Chapter 3 - Construction materials of historical structures
Introduction
Stone
Brick
Wood
Metal
Mortar

Chapter 4 - Architectural and structural features of Persian historical buildings
Introduction
First phases of architecture and building (until 560 B.C.)
Some basements and columns, majestic complexes (560 - 330 B.C.)
Dome on squinches, vaulted structures (330 B.C. - 224 A.D.)
Transverse arch and vault, base isolation (224 - 642 A.D.)
Structures of exceeding beauty (642 - 1000 A.D.)
The perfect dome, the double-shell dome (1000-1157 A.D.)
Verticality, attenuation, magnificence (1218 - 1334 A.D.)
Refinement (1314 - 1502 A.D.)
Culmination, town planning, Isfahan (1491 - 1722 A.D.)
Decline of efflorescence
Future prospects

Chapter 5 - Arches
Introduction
Arch profiles

Chapter 6 - Vaults
Introduction
Construction methods
Structural systems

Chapter 7 - Domes
Introduction
Construction methods
Structural systems
Substructure
Structural analysis of Iranian domes
Plastic analysis of spherical domes

Chapter 8 - Minarets
Introduction
Historical development
Structural systems
Construction materials
Structural analysis of the Sin minaret
The Minar Junban, the Shaking Minarets, culmination of structural dynamics

Chapter 9 - Water-works
Introduction
Hydrography of Iran
Qanats
Bridges
Dams
Cisterns

Chapter 10 - Maintenance comments on the wooden structure of the Ali Qapu building
Introduction
Description of the building
Maintenance of the masonry section
Description of the wooden structure
Structural analysis of the wooden structure
Maintenance comments on the wooden structure

Chapter 11 - Proposal for future research into historical structures
Introduction
Construction materials
Vaults
Domes
Minarets
Water-works
Other subjects
Epilogue