| Summary: | This paper is written based on workshop discussions and on my research paper
presented at the University of Bayreuth’s DFG funded conference, entitled: Wie
Digitalität die Geisteswissenschaften verändert. Neue Forschungsgegenstände und
Methoden March 23–24, 2017. The paper aims to investigate the state of the
art, issues, advantages and drawbacks of the use of digital technology for the
research of Islamic Art and Architecture. Rather than being conclusive, this
paper aspires to discuss research methodology of the History of Islamic Art and
Architecture. This is of importance given the lack of such discussions in the
given field. The paper is based on my ongoing PhD research of Aesthetics of
Ilkhanid Architectural Revetment in Central Iran c. 1300 at the
Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg. It discusses the question of the use of
digital technology for the benefit of the research. Its particular focus is an
inquiry of use of digital technology for the research of stucco revetments and
monumental architectural stucco inscriptions (Figures 1 and 2, 3) from 13-14th centuries
in Central Iran. The paper argues that the use of digital technology is of key
importance for the advancement of Islamic Art studies and for researchers to
overcome the traditional approach of stylistic comparison. The paper also
explains why Digitality cannot entirely substitute key primary sources stemming
from research of museum collections and objects handling or field research of
monuments, on which studies of Islamic Material Culture are based.
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