Designing and Making Children's Toys Inspired by Qoreyshi House's Murals in Amol City with a Semantic Analysis Approach

 
 
 
 
Architecture, with all its elaborate and sometimes intricate ornaments, has always been a mirror of the specific culture and artistic expressions of any region or historical period. The study of the motifs of the decorations in architectural structures holds a crucial place in representing and identifying the cultural and artistic identity of Iran. The Qajar period, specifically, has been well noted for changing the realms of art and architecture. Considerable transformation took place at that time, which one may be able to reflect upon with much clarity when considering residential buildings' ornamentations—like the historical houses, which still stand alive as timeless testimony to the great periods of the development of this art. The Qoreyshi House, located in the city of Amol, is well-known for its excellent and diverse mural motifs, representing the richness of artistic variety. The peculiar feature of the house makes it one of the most outstanding examples of Qajar art and certainly of high cultural and historical significance.
This research carries out a comprehensive analysis of some motifs that can be detected in the elegant murals of the Qoreyshi House in the city of Amol. The aim is to generate and propose feasible strategies that can be utilised for the creative use of these special motifs within the design process of toy characters. These toys, besides their striking visual appearance and aesthetic charm, carry the important goal of transferring and preserving Iran's rich cultural heritage for future generations to understand and appreciate. In this way, they help children form a meaningful connection with the artistic and cultural values that define the country through the joyous medium of play. It is important to realise that toys play a vital and essential role within the educational culture of any society, serving as tools for learning and development. In most of the developed countries, today, toy manufacturers coordinate a huge amount of their products with famous movies or video games, thus instilling the related culture in the kids' lives and shaping their lifestyle. It seems that the toys available in Iran lack the religious, national, historical and cultural requirements.
Moreover, the less attention that has been given to the proper design and production of toys within the country has contributed much to widening the cultural gap and the prevalence of Western toys in the marketplace. This situation really needs much more emphasis on the preservation of cultural heritage and studying/teaching historical-artistic concepts to children through toys reflecting our own traditions and values.
 
 Related Research Questions:
1-What is the meaning of the mural motifs of the Qoreyshi House in Amol in toy design?
2-How can the development of toy characters inspired by the complex and rich artistic traditions of the Qajar period be used to instill cultural and artistic values in preschool children?
 
Research Methodology:
 This study is an applied-developmental one in nature, and its method is descriptive-analytical. Its data gathering has been accomplished through library research and field studies, whereby important tools used are observation and photography, alongside Adobe Illustrator in vectoring and simplifying the motifs, and CorelDRAW in developing 3D designs. This study centers around the mural motifs of the Qoreyshi House in Amol with a sampling method that has been non-random (selective), with four primary motifs selected to be further broken down into twelve sub-motifs for analysis.
These motifs are carefully drawn from such classifications as: human figures, animal representations, plant life, hunting scenes, and symbolic elements carrying deeper meanings. One such motif is taken from each of these well-defined categories to serve the needs of toy design. The selected characters are further meant to be versatile to carry more extensive applications and usability on other categories apart from toys too.
The toys are designed for children aged 6–10 years and can be played with by 2–5 players. They are made using 3D printing technology (FDM plastic) and coloured with acrylic paints.
In the process of designing the toys, various important aspects have been put into consideration: the most vital elements were creativity, aesthetic beauty, and strong alignment with the rich cultural heritage of Iran. The main goal of the design of these toys is the active promotion and preservation of local art forms, ensuring that there is a strong cultural and artistic representative voice that not only echoes deep within the local community but also reverberates across to an international audience. Moreover, in order to enhance game play and offer the possibility of group participation, a detailed set of cards with semantic references to the chosen motifs were carefully devised, making concept learning far more effective for the individual.

Results:
The decorative motifs in the Iranian art's domain, especially from the significant and historically momentous Qajar period, are essential carriers of meaning and artistic and cultural connotation. These motifs frequently go far beyond their apparent forms and superficial appearances, showing profound meanings and layers of representation and interpretation. The old traditional Qajar houses in Mazandaran, especially within the city of Amol, contain an extremely great and various collection of motifs which vividly depict and reveal the deepness in the Iranian art and culture during history. The overall survey has shown that complex motifs in the Qoreyshi House in Amol have not been limited as just architectural ornamentations, rather they can be observed, analysed, and verified to be brilliant examples of Mural art which support and enrich the whole Iran arts' narrative.

Importance in Toy Design:                                                                                
The strategic application of the distinctive motifs coming from the Qoreyshi House in the domain of toy design is significant in the preservation and promotion of the rich tapestry of local art and contributing to a sense of cultural continuity deeply engraved in Iranian traditions. Designers through the creation of simplified re-designs of these motifs encourage an atmosphere of creativity besides enhancing the beauty already embedded in the pieces as a very important medium via which traditional art may be linked with the changing needs of contemporary society.
 Advanced technology, such as 3D printers, has made it substantially possible to update these beloved motifs so they may fit carefully into toys possessing a dual capability: educating young minds and being a source of entertainment.
These designs provide all kinds of scenarios that help learners cultivate creativity, social learning, and cultural values, ensuring an engaging educational and entertaining experience.

Transferring Cultural and Artistic Values:                                                             
Connection to the Past:
 Toy characters based on the Qajar motifs acquaint kids with the historical art and architecture of Iran, linking them to their heritage in a fun way.
 
 Cultural Identity: This helps instill much pride and a greater sense of belonging in the members of this nation, pointing out and stressing the powerful meanings of Iranian history and art.
 Artistic Awareness: Simple motifs familiarise children with basic art concepts like symmetry, balance, and composition, raising and enriching their potential appreciation of the world of art. Creativity and Imagination: Through playing with historical figures, the child generates new stories, extending this environment while at the same time interacting with cultural and aesthetic values.
 Cultural Diversity: The various themes are like a colourful window that opens for children the great wealth and rich diversity existing in the cultural and historical heritage of Iran.
 At last, the motifs of the Qoreyshi House, exposed to environmental and climatic conditions and negligence, destroy or are in danger of disappearing. Reviving and integrating them into modern art strengthens local traditions and will provide a rich resource for new generations of artists. This effort not only conserves indigenous art but also promotes genuine Iranian artistic thought, enriching the base for toy development that merges cultural heritage with contemporary education and entertainment.