Discovery and display of a "Seljuq" artefact. Outlining the recent history of the Imāmzāda Karrār and its stucco decoration

This paper aims at tracing the events that have affected the Early Islamic monument known as ‘Imamzada Karrar’ since the early 20th century. The analysis will be devoted to both the discovery and publication of the building, and to the decisions made regarding its conservation, in particular to the removal of its original stucco revetment and the exhibition of the latter in the National Museum of Tehran. These activities will be analyzed in the historical context of that time, paying specific attention to the academic framework of the “magical decade” of Persian Art (i.e. the 1930s), trying to evaluate the impact they still have on the present knowledge of the building and its display.