Abstract
In his monograph, Doctor of Art Professor M.M. Mammaev investigates the Muslim decorated grave steles of the 14-16th centuries from Kubachi. Despite the numerous highly artistic examples of medieval art of Kubachi, these stone steles, skillfully adorned with calligraphic late-Kufic Arabic and partly Persian inscriptions, as well as plant ornaments, have remained largely unexplored.
This work describes over 100 steles identified by the author, examining their shapes, dating, decorative features, while also tracing the evolution of their forms and decor. The grave steles, with their ornamental-epigraphic compositions, are presented as valuable works of stone-carving art, showcasing Arabic and partly Persian epigraphy and decorative calligraphy. The monograph characterizes Kubachi as the foremost center of stone-carving art, which significantly impacted the artistic culture of Dagestan and the North Caucasus.
Imprint
Mammaev M.M. Muslim Decorated Grave Steles of the 14–16th centuries from Kubachi: a Study in Stone-Carving Art, Arabic Epigraphy, and Calligraphy. – Moscow: Sadra Publishers, 2025. – 296 pages with illustrations. (Written Monuments of Dagestan. Vol. VIII)
The participants of the book preparation:
Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences
