THE KUFIC INSCRIPTION ON STELA 1 FROM THE MEDIEVAL ISLAMIC CULTIC COMPLEX OF DERBENT (10TH–EARLY 13TH CENTURIES)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32653/CH223%25pKeywords:
Derbent, Kyrkhlyar cemetery, Islamic epigraphy, floriated Kufic, ritual ablution, votive stelae, epigraphic analysis, medieval CaucasusAbstract
Archaeological excavations conducted in 2014 at Derbent revealed a monumental ritual complex dating from the 10th to early 13th centuries, associated with the northern urban cemetery of Kyrkhlyar and designed specifically for performing ritual ablutions. A central structural component of this complex consisted of five vertically erected stelae from the 11th–12th centuries, four of which featured epigraphic inscriptions in Kufic script. The nine-line inscription on Stela 1 had not been fully deciphered due to its poor state of preservation. This study provides a comprehensive epigraphic re-examination of Stela 1, establishing that its text – executed in “floriated” Kufic – belongs to the epitaph genre and constitutes a funerary prayer. A comparative stylistic and contextual analysis alongside analogous 9th–11th-century epigraphic monuments refined the dating of the stela, securely narrowing its creation to the 11th century. Crucially, the text contains a unique feature unattested in contemporary funerary epigraphy: the imperative verb ṭahhir (“purify!”). This lexical choice directly links the inscription to the spatial function of the surrounding architectural complex, which was designated for ritual purification (ṭahāra). The non-sepulchral archaeological context indicates that Stela 1 was not positioned over a grave, revealing an apparent contradiction between its epitaphic textual content and its practical placement. The authors resolve this anomaly by proposing a votive origin for the monument. Beyond its decorative and commemorative functions, Stela 1 likely functioned as a votive offering (naḏr) designed to favorably influence the posthumous fate of the deceased. This interpretation is corroborated by broader evidence demonstrating the widespread practice of votive dedications at cultic sites throughout medieval Derbent.
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