This photograph of the facade of the Shirin Bika Aka Mausoleum at the Shah-i Zindah necropolis in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) is from the archeological part of <em>Turkestan Album</em>. The six-volume photographic survey was produced in 1871-72, under the patronage of General Konstantin P. von Kaufman, the first governor-general (1867-82) of Turkestan, as the Russian Empire's Central Asian territories were called. The album devotes special attention to Samarkand’s Islamic architecture, such as 14th- and 15th-century monuments from the reign of Timur (Tamerlane) and his successors. Of particular note is the Shah-i Zindah (Persian for “living king”) ensemble, revered as a memorial to Kusam-ibn-Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. This mausoleum was built in 1385-86 for Timur’s younger sister and is considered one of the greatest achievements at the Shah-i Zindah complex. Its design, which reflects Persian influence, centers on a remarkable main arch, or <em>peshtak</em>, which contains the portal and culminates in “stalactite” corners supporting a semicircular vault. Despite significant damage, the facade shows profuse ornamentation in floral and geometric motifs. The ceramic work includes early examples of composite mosaic panels in colors ranging from orange and red to deep blue. The corners of the <em>peshtak</em> were marked by attached ceramic columns (missing on right).
<br>Archaeological sites; Architectural decorations and ornaments; Islamic architecture; Photographic surveys; Sepulchral monuments; Shāh-i Zindah; Tombs
Bogaevskii, Nikolai V., 1843-1912
between 1865 and 1872 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P1319,+1865-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1326,+1872-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
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<ul><li>Gallery: <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.wdl.org/en/item/3698/">http://www.wdl.org/en/item/3698/</a></li></ul>