Tombstones of the 13th — 18th Centuries from the Cemeteries of the Village Khadagi: Description, Typology and Epigraphy

Abstract

The village of Khadagi is a small settlement of historical Kaytag (Khaydaq), located at the crossroads of the oldest tracks connecting the north and the south, the coast of the Caspian Sea and the mountains. This circumstance seems to explain the extreme diversity of tombstones in the Khadagi village and its vicinity, which is comprised of various cultural traditions. This fact greatly distinguishes it from the neighboring mountain areas, where for centuries there has been continuity in burial traditions as well as in the form, epigraphy and decoration of tombstones. The article describes the most notable tombstones of the Khadagiburial grounds: gravestone complexes consisting of horizontal tombstones with vertical stelas adjacent to them; horizontal sarcophagus-like tombstones; a burial complex consisting of a vertical tombstone and an adjoining vertical stela; vertical stelas of various shapes, including anthropomorphous ones. The paper provides texts of the epitaphs and their translation into Russian. Due consideration was also given to features of the writing style, methods of engraving and ornamentation of the monuments. Some of the monuments described in the article are dated in writing, more specifically by the following dates: A. H. 753 (1352/53); A. H. 868 (1463/64); A. H. 1050 (1640/41); A. H. 1210 (1795/96). This fact will play a crucial role in dating typologically similar (in forms, epigraphy, ornamentation) tombstones of the region, and will contribute to uncovering cultural ties. The following method of dating the Khadagi stelas has been used: some of the stelas are associated with certain periods of history due to their typological similarity with already known and dated monuments of the region.