GRAVESTIONES WITH OTTOMAN EPIGRAPHS: THE CASE OF THE GURGURICA VILLAGE CEMETERY
Zejni MAZLLAMI
Abstract
This study provides an overview of the history and characteristics of Islamic and Ottoman epigraphy on tombstones, tracing their origins back to the earliest inscriptions on the rocks of Medina. The kufi script was widely used for writing epitaphs, while during the Ottoman period, rika was more commonly used and nesih was less commonly used. A brief overview of the constituent elements of the epitaph during the Ottoman period is given, which includes time data, specific month-specific pseudonyms and short biographies of the deceased. The decorations and shapes of the heads of the stones reflect gender, profession or affiliation to certain religious orders. In the second part of the paper, transcriptions in the Latin alphabet and translations into Albanian are given from eight epitaphs found in the cemeteries of the village of GurguricA in Tetovo.
Pages: 201 - 204