which ended Ziyarid rule in Tabaristan. Art and architecture One of the most famous architectural works of the Ziyarid dynasty is the Gonbad Kavous (meaning the "Dome of Qabus"). The tomb is one of the earliest architectural monuments with a dated inscription surviving in post-Islamic Iran. The tomb, built of fired brick, is an enormous cylinder capped by a conical roof. The circular plan, broken by 10 flanges, is 17 m in diameter, and the walls are 3 m thick. The height from base to tip is 49 m. Legend has it, that the body of Qabus was enclosed in a glass coffin which was suspended by chains from the interior dome inside the tower. Culture Qabus, a prominent writer of Arabic, patronized Kamalu'd-din Bundar of Ray, Abu'l-Qasim Ziyad b. Muhammad al-Qamari al-Jurjani, and Abu-Bakr Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Khusravi. Kamalu'd-din Bundar wrote his poetry in Arabic, Persian and Gilaki. The poet Manuchihri would take his penname from his first patron, Falak al-Ma'ali Manuchihr, son of Qabus. By the reign of Keikavus however, the Ziyard court was Persianate, with Keikavus writing the Persian literary work, Qabus-nama. Ziyarid rulers Mardavij (930–935) Vushmgir (935–967) Bisutun (967–977) Qabus (977–981) Buyid occupation (977–997) Qabus (997–1012) Manuchihr (1012–1031) Anushirvan Sharaf al-Ma'ali (1030–1050) Keikavus (1050–1087) Gilanshah (1087–1090) Family tree See also Bavand dynasty Dabuyid dynasty References Sources 13 Former countries in the Middle East 1090 disestablishments in Asia States and territories established in the 930s Tabaristan 930 establishments History of Talysh