Turkey launches project to document historical Islamic gravestones

Under the auspices of the Presidency and with support from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the ‘Islamic Inscriptions and Gravestones Inventory Project’ is underway to document historical gravestones and inscriptions across Turkey.

These gravestones serve as vital historical documents, offering insights into the social, cultural, and artistic life of past eras through their inscriptions, shapes, and decorations. To prevent the loss of this information due to environmental damage, specialized teams are conducting detailed documentation.

In the pilot phase currently taking place in Istanbul, specifically in Üsküdar, academic teams coordinated by Professor Dr. Kadir Pektaş from Istanbul Medeniyet University are working to record these artifacts. The process involves numbering stones, taking photographs, measuring dimensions, determining GPS coordinates, and analyzing calligraphy and decorative styles to ensure cultural preservation for future generations.