Wisdom Revealed in Epigraphy

Дата публикации: Nov 09, 2016 7:50:4 PM

Time has handed down a fascinating treasure trove of medieval architecture that captivates millions of people who annually visit Uzbekistan to witness the majestic ancient buildings, whose sophisticated décor is complemented by remarkable calligraphic inscriptions. Many people have wondered what these writings say and what kind of wisdom our forefathers perpetuated through them. Today, thanks to the knowledge and experience of Uzbek scholars, an opportunity has arisen for the broad public to read a series of books titled ‘The Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan’ and unravel these mysteries.

For centuries, many specialists have struggled to decipher these epigraphic inscriptions, and scientific debate about the correctness of the reading of the centuries-old monograms and other texts made by talented craftsmen continues even today. However, as it has been stated above, a complete deciphering of epigraphy monuments located in the ancient Uzbek land, and a publication thereof, has still not been made. The research seeking to explore and decipher the ancient inscriptions became possible thanks to the advent of Uzbekistan’s independence, which reinstated the monuments’ worthy place in history.

For six years, a creative group of scholars has been working painstakingly to study, decipher and restore epigraphic inscriptions destroyed by time. Today they are encapsulated in the ‘Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan’ series of albums published in Uzbek, Russian and English by Uzbekistan Today News Agency. The project was launched as part of the April 6, 2011 Presidential Resolution “On Preparations for and Celebrations of the 20th Anniversary of the Republic of Uzbekistan’s Independence” and Cabinet of Ministers resolutions dated June 17, 2011 and April 1, 2012.

In terms of the number and uniqueness of epigraphic landmarks, Uzbekistan remained the undisputed leaders in Central Asia. The bulk of them are a treasure trove of art and culture and an integral part of the global civilization as a whole that require in-depth research. To bring the idea to fruition, the initiative group enlisted the help of a number of specialists from the Institute of Oriental Studies of Uzbekistan and the Bahauddin Naqshband Memorial Complex Center. With comprehensive support from regional mayors’ offices and local connoisseurs, a large amount of work has been carried out over the past six years to publish the first twelve books.

Socrates said: “In this world, man suffers in all his deeds for he shall not remain bound to his amassed property. Your heart is powerless before what…”. This inscription appears on one of the monuments that make up the Shahi-Zinda memorial complex in Samarkand.

On October 17, 2016, Uzbekistan Today News Agency, the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan and the National Association of Electronic Mass Media of Uzbekistan are hosting a presentation of the project ‘The Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan’ dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Uzbekistan's national independence and the 10th anniversary of Uzbekistan Today News Agency. The event will be held under the slogan “Messages from the Depth of Centuries: Education, Enlightenment, Peace and Creativity in Uzbekistan’s Architectural Epigraphy” in Tashkent.

The presentation, which will be held as a roundtable, will summarize the first results of the project and will include film demonstration and speeches by leading scholars, who have contributed to the project, as well as representatives of the international public. The event will be attended by members of Uzbekistan’s scientific community, representatives of governmental and public organizations as well as international organizations, diplomatic missions and media outlets.

The roundtable will present 12 recently published albums dedicated to epigraphic inscriptions on architectural landmarks in Karakalpakstan, Andijan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Namangan, Surkhandarya, Fergana and Khorezm Regions and Tashkent city as well as two albums on two architectural historical landmarks, Registan and Shahi-Zinda, in Samarkand. The albums are in Uzbek, Russian and English.

Education and enlightenment

As is known, epigraphy is the most significant and spectacular part of the cultural heritage of not only Uzbekistan and the Muslim world, but also the entire global civilization. Moreover, Uzbekistan is one of the world leaders in terms of the amount of architectural epigraphy. However, due to certain circumstances, these inscriptions have not been studied and published until recently. According to our estimates, only 10% of inscriptions on monuments of Amir Temur’s era have been explored, read and partially published. Consequently, the most remarkable and significant pages of our cultural legacy remained out of the reach of science as well as our nation and visitors to our country. The research has helped to read and translate inscriptions on more than 1,500 epigraphic landmarks (most of them for the first-ever time), which include over 200 poems, edifications, maxims, names of over 100 masters and calligraphers, 300 religious and 150 dedicatory inscriptions, 150 chronograms, 100 historical dates and around 100 edicts by rulers of the days gone by.

‘The Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan’ is the only project of its kind whereby the government works to explore, collate and sum up all the architectural epigraphy found in the country, something that no country in the Muslim world has done before. It is noteworthy that this work became possible thanks to the advent of Uzbekistan’s independence, which reinstated the monuments’ worthy place in history.

Peace and creativity

The series of books represent the first phase of the project which will be continued. The next series will encompass the remaining unexplored epigraphic inscriptions across Uzbekistan. All told, 25 volumes are expected to be published.

It is notable that each inscription on the multitude of historical architectural landmarks in Uzbekistan conveys wise messages, exhortations, good wishes, poetic maxims and historical events that call on people to aspire for education, enlightenment, peace and creative, which has been made the slogan of the upcoming presentation.

It is for a reason that the covers of the architectural epigraphy books designed in national style feature an embossed inscription from the 14th-century Al-Hakim at-Termizi memorial complex located in Termez in Surkhandarya Region: “He who seeks knowledge is sought by Paradise”, which has become a symbol of the series of albums.

Each book presents dozens of similar epitaphs, maxims, appeals and calls for good. For example, the central medallion in the Usta Alim Nasafi Mausoleum at the Shahi-Zinda Complex features an epigraphic inscription in gilded letters that talks about peace: “There is no peace except in concord, no togetherness except in the Verity, no modest behavior except in forgiveness, no friendship except in fidelity.”

Heightened interest and fascination by our memorials and careful attitude have led to efforts to explore them. The texts presented in the books are diverse. They include, for example, purely historical (dedicatory) inscriptions, or gravestone epitaphs that also present samples of not only calligraphic art but also full literary and historical monuments. The creative group has studies and deciphered inscriptions on world-famous architectural landmarks such as the Shahi-Zinda Complex, the Gur Emir Mausoleum, the Amir Temur cathedral mosque, the Bibi Hanum Mosque and Registan Square in Samarkand. Research into epigraphic inscriptions in Khiva has helped to decipher inscriptions on thirteen architectural complexes, including gravestone texts at the Pahlavan Mahmud complex.

For the first-ever time, the album dedicated to the architectural epigraphy of Karakalpakstan provides translations of epigraphic material at the Narinjan-baba complex and full readings and translations of epigraphic inscriptions that have survived on another famous landmark, the Mazlumhan-Sulu sepulchral and memorial complex, located in the ancient Mizdakhan settlement. Another album, focusing on Shakhrisabz, is particularly interesting from the viewpoint of studying the history of not only Central Asia but also the entire Muslim Orient. These albums present unique samples of inscriptions and provide information about important events and historical figures.

The album “The Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan. Surkhandarya” provides full translations of inscriptions featured on landmarks such as the mausoleum and gravestone of outstanding Sufi sheikh Hakim at-Termizi, the Jarkurgan minaret and the Sufi Allayar Complex, the first time this has been done since efforts were started to study Surkhandarya epigraphy of the Islamic era.

A book devoted to the monuments of Namangan for the first time presents fully read inscriptions on the monuments of Hoja Amin, Mullah Kirgiz, Mawlawi Namangani and others. The book presents the most original writing artifacts – epitaphs containing unique data and the date of death of a number of well-known sheikhs and scholars of the past. The album dedicated to the epigraphy of Andijan will finally disprove the widespread belief that Andijan does not have many noteworthy sites and that most of them have not survived. It features unique monuments such as Jami, Gumbaz, Madrassas Mirzakul bulish, Ata-Kuzi and Kutaiba ibn Muslim Mausoleum among others.

Equally interesting are albums focusing on epigraphy in Bukhara, Fergana, Navoi and, of course, Tashkent city that offer a wealth of interesting and valuable information.

The results of years of efforts by the creative group of scholars, who painstakingly study the epigraphic inscriptions destroyed by time, are encapsulated in the ‘Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan’ series of albums published in Uzbek, Russian and English by Uzbekistan Today News Agency. The fundamental project will now store the mysteries of epigraphic inscriptions on the pages of the books, and even if the physical landmarks succumb to the ravages of time, “The Architectural Epigraphy of Uzbekistan” books will carry this spiritual legacy through ages to coming generations.

Scholar viewpoints

Prominent scholars and epigraphy experts have provided positive references on the books. They include the Vice-President of Uzbekistan’s Academy of Sciences Bahrom Abduhalimov, the Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan Muslim Board Sheikh Abdulaziz Mansur, academician Edvard Rtveladze and academician Akbar Hakimov.

The series of albums has received positive reviews from several top international specialists: Professor Sims-Williams, the Curator of Medieval Oriental Epigraphy at the British Museum; Professor Ludwig Callus, head of the Arabic calligraphy section at Sorbonne University, Professor Anke von Kugelgen at the University of Bonne Свободного; Professor Vladimir Nastich, lead specialist on numismatics and Central Asian epigraphy at the Institute of Oriental Studies under the Russian Academy of Sciences among others. Similar reviews were provided by specialists during a major international conference held in May 2012 in Bukhara.

Edvard Rtveladze, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan:

“These albums are large-scale and unprecedented in the scientific and cultural value of the project, whose main purpose is to find, study and publish epigraphic inscriptions on architectural monuments in Uzbekistan. The work carried out is colossal. The authors were able to supplement and correct the previously published and read translations of Arabic, Persian and Turkic inscriptions, for the first time to engage in a lot of the scientific currency of epigraphic material that previously could not be read in the art, and therefore had remained unknown to researchers. For example, inscriptions on such outstanding complexes as Shahi Zinda, Registan, a number of monuments of Bukhara and Khiva, cartouches with inscriptions on the pylons of the palace of Amir Temur, Aqsarai, and more that were once inaccessible. This work is a clear contribution to the study of the spiritual and cultural history of Central Asian peoples. And most importantly, no country where monuments of Islamic art and architecture can be found has carried out such a large project. Uzbekistan is the first country to have done that.”

Hamad bin Muhammad ad-Davani, Professor, Chairman of the National Chancellery of Oman’s Cabinet:

“You are doing great and important work, and I want to express my gratitude for these efforts. It is hard work, and it aims to benefit all mankind. These books provide a unique opportunity to get acquainted with architectural monuments and learn the essence of the inscriptions left by our ancestors. In addition, the published material demonstrates the wisdom and glory of the Uzbek people, the whole country’s genius scientists reared in this land, the high civilization of the region. Each researcher who wants to study the history of Uzbekistan should definitely read this book. I think that not only Uzbek, but also foreign researchers must deeply study the history of the ancient cities of Uzbekistan, the experience of the great scientists, the scientific heritage of the East. We must treasure and preserve this cultural heritage for all mankind.”

Jurgen Paul, Professor, the University of Gale, Germany:

“These publications are important not only for Uzbekistan but also epigraphy experts throughout the world. These albums exemplify careful attitude to the preservation of national heritage. I am very pleased that the project continues, and I think that you are in for more inspiring discoveries. It seems that the old dream of starting to memorialize and publish Uzbekistan’s epigraphy has finally come true. And the fact that the project is supported by the state instills confidence in the future...”

Vladimir Nastich, Doctor of History, the Institute of Oriental Studies, the Russian Academy of Sciences:

“This is a truly important project that kicked off with the publication of the book “Masterpieces of Uzbekistan’s Architectural Epigraphy”. It is remarkable that the study of arabographic epigraphy in your country is carried at the level of a state program. I am not aware of any such precedent. I hope that the continuation of the project in the form of presentation of readings and translations of inscriptions on other monuments of Uzbekistan will be realized in the near future. This will be a truly important contribution to science.”

Rocco Ronte, Professor and head of the Section of Oriental Culture and Art, The Louvre Museum:

“These publications are of great interest not only for epigraphy specialists, but also for the people of the historical cities of Uzbekistan. They will increase the required level of knowledge regarding the content of the inscriptions on historical monuments of Uzbekistan. The creative team of the project has done a great job in the field of study and systematization of epigraphy of various regions of the country. These remarkable albums are the outcome of these efforts.”

Ahmad Rajab Rizk, Professor of Central Asian history, archeology and art, Cairo University:

“This research work captures the most important inscriptions and varieties of calligraphy. It is very important and useful for all researchers and contains a lot of useful information for students as it acquaints them with outstanding landmarks in Uzbekistan and the inscriptions found on them. This fundamental research work contains a lot of illustrations and it may be deemed significant not only for Uzbekistan but also for the Islamic civilization as a whole.

I would like to express my deep thanks to everyone who has contributed to the publication of these books. It is important to present these books in Arabic and English so that they can be disseminated in Arab and European countries. These countries are very interested in learning more about the culture and art of Uzbekistan which formed the crust of Islamic civilization and was the culture and education hub for the entire world.”

(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)