Archaeologists working at the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Ani in eastern Türkiye have uncovered a decorated Seljuk stone bearing the name of the Prophet Muhammad in Kufic script, offering a rare glimpse into the religious beliefs, funerary traditions and artistic culture of medieval Anatolia.
A carved stone believed to have formed part of a Seljuk tomb has been unearthed at the Ani Archaeological Site in Kars, revealing an elaborate inscription in which the name of the Prophet Muhammad was originally repeated six times.
The artefact was discovered during ongoing excavations at the Seljuk Cemetery within Ani, a major medieval settlement close to Türkiye’s present-day border with Armenia.
Türkiye’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced the discovery, describing the stone as a significant find from a site closely associated with the beginnings of Turkish-Islamic history in Anatolia.
Excavations at the cemetery have been under way since 2021.
Kufic Inscription Surrounds Eight-Pointed Star
According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the surviving stone measures 51 by 21 centimetres and was decorated using a relief-carving technique.
At its centre is an eight-pointed star-shaped motif surrounded by Kufic inscriptions. The original design featured the name of the Prophet Muhammad six times.
Only half of the stone has survived, however, meaning three of the inscriptions remain visible today.
Researchers believe the fragment once belonged to the architectural decoration of one of the Seljuk mausoleums within the cemetery.
The combination of religious inscription, geometric ornamentation and stone craftsmanship makes the find an important example of the artistic and spiritual traditions associated with the Seljuk presence at Ani.
Ersoy said the discovery reflected the reverence for the Prophet Muhammad among the people who created the monument centuries ago.
Rare Evidence of Seljuk Cemetery Culture
Beyond its decorative significance, archaeologists regard the stone as an important physical record of Ani’s Turkish-Islamic identity and the funerary culture that developed at the settlement during the Seljuk period.
Its discovery within the cemetery provides researchers with further evidence of how religious belief was incorporated into the architecture and decoration of medieval burial monuments.
The use of Kufic — an early angular form of Arabic script widely employed in Islamic architecture and decorative arts — also illustrates how written religious expressions became part of the visual language of Seljuk monuments.
Similar decorative traditions can be found at a number of important medieval buildings across Anatolia, including the Mama Hatun Mausoleum in Tercan, dating to 1191, and the Malatya Grand Mosque, dating to 1224.
Comparable patterns are also associated with the Eşrefoğlu Mosque in Beyşehir and the Tahir and Zühre Mosque in Konya.
Ani’s Place in Turkish-Islamic History
Ani occupies a particularly important position in the history of medieval Anatolia.
The city was conquered by Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan in 1064, an event regarded as a major milestone in the expansion of Turkish-Islamic rule into Anatolia.
Archaeological evidence uncovered at the site has led researchers to identify Ani’s Seljuk Cemetery as the earliest known Turkish-Islamic cemetery and Turkish martyrs’ cemetery in Anatolia.
The ancient city also preserves significant examples of early Islamic religious architecture associated with the period following the Seljuk conquest.
Once a thriving medieval centre positioned along important regional trade routes, Ani contains the remains of churches, mosques, fortifications, palaces and other structures reflecting the succession of cultures that occupied the city.
Its archaeological and architectural importance led to Ani being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
A Religious Message Preserved in Stone
For archaeologists, the newly discovered fragment is significant not simply because of its age, but because of the information encoded in its decoration.
The repeated inscription of the Prophet Muhammad’s name around a geometric motif provides tangible evidence of the relationship between faith, artistic expression and funerary architecture during the Seljuk period.
Despite only half of the original object surviving, the stone preserves a religious message carved by craftsmen centuries ago — offering another piece of evidence for understanding the people who lived, worshipped and buried their dead at one of medieval Anatolia’s most important cities.
Sources : Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism
