Carving and relief
deep carving
Deep carving is used to accentuate text on decorated tiles. Nice examples can be found at mausolea in the Shah-i-zinda necropolis in Samarkand e.g. on the Amir Hussein mausoleum.
contrast between carving in terracotta and glazed tiles
Remarkable is the colourful filling of dark coloured glazed 16-pointed stars in contrast with the relief given to the uncoloured irregular hexagons on the spandrel of Ulug Beg madrassa in Samarkand.
Expoiting relief in decoration is also used on the side walls of the entrance. White ties, realised in relief surround flat colourfully painted 10-pointed stars.
