Safavid and Qajar tombstones in the village of Estrak, Kashan

Estark is an ancient village in Kashan, where archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of human settlement dating back to the Iron Age. In the old cemetery of this village, nearly forty gravestones from the Safavid and Qajar periods remain. These gravestones, dating from the 11th to the 14th centuries AH (17th to 20th centuries AD), often feature not only inscriptions of the deceased's name and date of death but also religious texts, including Quranic verses, Shiite slogans and prayers, and Persian elegiac poetry.

The gravestones from the 11th century AH are generally sarcophagus-shaped and decorated with cypress tree motifs, featuring inscriptions of Salawat Kabira and Ayat al-Kursi. In the 12th century, the gravestones adopt a flat upright form, and Ayat al-Kursi inscriptions are omitted, leaving only the Salawat Kabira. In the 13th century, a new style of upright gravestone emerges, adorned with vegetal and animal motifs. The cypress and mihrab designs on these stones are inspired by the 11th-century models, but now include depictions of birds and snakes. The Salawat Kabira inscriptions are replaced by newer Shiite slogans and Persian elegiac poetry.

This century also sees the appearance of smaller gravestones, which continue into the 14th century AH, distinguished by prominent Persian poetry. Two of these stones are decorated with motifs of mirrors, combs, and prayer beads. Collectively, these gravestones illustrate the religious and cultural landscape of a Shiite village during the Safavid and Qajar eras. All research data has been collected through fieldwork and analyzed using an interpretive-historical approach.