Name of Object:Stone cenotaph Location:Aleppo, Syria Holding Museum:National Museum of Aleppo, Islamic Department Date of Object:Hegira early 6th century / AD 12th century Museum Inventory Number:330 Material(s) / Technique(s):Carved stone. Dimensions:Height 98 cm (with cover) 126 cm, length 190 cm, width 93.3 cm Period / Dynasty:Zangid–Atabeg Provenance:Salihin Cemetery, south of old Aleppo, Syria. Description:This large rectangular profusely decorated stone cenotaph belongs to a type that was widely distributed in Syria and Mesopotamia during the AH 6th / AD 12th century. The shape is reminiscent of a classical sarcophagus with a concave base, a cubic centre composed of two side stones, a front and a back stone, a solid convex lintel and a separate lid on the top (today some of the stones are broken). The decoration consists of a magnificent inscription in foliated kufic script taken from the Qur'anic verse “Ayat al-Kursi” (“Throne Verse”). The verse runs in bands around all four sides of the tomb, only interrupted by the carved vine-stem motif corner blocks. Two weave-like friezes decorate the base and the lintel of the cenotaph. Four small vertical cartouches are centrally located on each side of the cenotaph. These mention the deceased, Husayn b. Hasan al-Shukri, but no date. View Short DescriptionOriginally located in the most prestigious cemetery of Aleppo, the Cemetery of Salihin, which has legendary connections with Abraham, this cenotaph is one of the best surviving examples of AH 6th / AD 12th century Syrian stone carving and kufic calligraphy. Original Owner:Husayn b. Hasan al-Shukri How date and origin were established:The cenotaph was dated by stylistic criteria and by comparison with other finds. Another well-known but badly preserved cenotaph of the same type is exhibited in the National Museum of Damascus: the tomb of the Artuqid ruler Balak b. Bahram b. Artuq who fell against the Crusaders near Manbij in 518 / 1124 and was buried in Aleppo (Inv. No. 1051). How Object was obtained:The cenotaph was still in situ at the Salihin Cemetery when the area was surveyed by archaeologists Jean Sauvaget and Ernst Herzfeld during the 1930s and 1950s respectively. Selected bibliography:Herzfeld, E., Matériaux pour un Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum: Syrie du Nord, Part 2: Inscriptions et monuments d'Alep, 3 Vols, Cairo, 1954–6, pp.180–2; cat. no. 90; plates LXXII b, LXXIII a, b, LXXIV c. Citation of this web page:Julia Gonnella "Stone cenotaph" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;sy;Mus01_A;49;en Prepared by: Julia Gonnella
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