How did stone sculpture decorate Seljuq buildings in Konya and Sivas?

In Seljuq Anatolia, architectural decoration was primarily achieved through elaborate stone sculpture concentrated on the facades of religious and secular buildings. This decorative style is exemplified by the facades of the Gök Medrese in Sivas and the Ince Minare in Konya.1

The stone ornamentation featured a blend of traditional geometric, epigraphic, and vegetal motifs alongside original compositions. A distinguishing characteristic of this Anatolian style was the creation of decorative sculpture in the round or in high relief, which frequently incorporated representations of human figures and animals. While the exact origins of these figurative elements remain a subject of historical debate—potentially reflecting pre-Islamic Anatolian traditions or pagan Turkish influences from Central Asia—they contributed to an overwhelmingly original aesthetic. These sculpted facades were often part of a larger composition that included a high central portal, sometimes framed by minarets, extending to corner towers.1