Banna'i

[1] This technique originated in Syria and Iraq in the 8th century, and matured in the Seljuq and Timurid era, as it spread to Iran, Anatolia and Central Asia.

The tomb of the Samanid ruler Ismā'īl (in Bukhara, Uzbekistan), had walls with protruding and recessed bricks that created a weaving pattern.

Rows of brick were set deep inside the face of the building and raised above it, to create positive and negative spaces (for example in the Damghan minaret[6] and Pir-e Alamdar tower[7]).

The Gunbad-i Sorkh monument in Azerbaijan (built in 1147) was made of ten different types of carved bricks in its corner columns.

This practice eventually led to the covering whole brick buildings in sacred writing spelling out the names of Allah, Ali and Muhammad.

Banna'i brickwork in the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi . The blue brickwork spells out the names of Allah , Muhammad and Ali in square Kufic calligraphy.
The walls of the Samanid Mausoleum (9th or 10th century) represent an early example of hazarbaf , a weaving-like pattern of brickwork.
The tomb of Timur is covered with religious inscriptions made with colored bricks.