Studies in Turkey in Tombs Architecture
The studies on tomb architecture in Turkey have evolved over nearly a century after Ahmed Vefik’s article entitled “The Tombs of the First Six Sultans in Bursa” that exclusively dealt with a group of tombs. This brief article focuses on the works of Turkish scholars related to tomb architecture in Turkey and in doing so, it leaves out those articles addressing the individual structures with their cultural and folkloric aspects. The dissertation by M. Oluş Arık entitled “Anatolian Tombs Until the Bnd of the Beylikates” that analyzes the tomb of a specified period in Turkey under a scientfic method has played an important role in determining the tomb typologies. Another source in this sense has been Haluk Karamağaralı’s study on “Plan and Form Qualities of Religious Architectural Monuments in Anatolia After the Mongolian Invasion” that deals with tombs among other structures. The scholar examining tombs within the context of a particular type is Metin Sözen in “Eyvan-type Mauseloums in Anatolia.” Ali Kılcı, along the same lines, has examined baldachin style mausoleums. E.H. Ayverdi has introduced numerous tombs in his four-volume work on Ottoman architectural history from its beginning until the end of Fatih’s reign. Applying the same method, İ. Aydın Yüksel has worked on the three sultans following Fatih. Known for his great contribution to the promotion of Turkish art, Oktay Aslanapa has been a pioneer in Turkish tomb architecture with his two books, Turkish Art II and Ottoman Architecture. R.H. Ünal has introduced the lesser known East Anatolian tombs in a long article. O.C. Tuncer’s dissertation “Vaults of Anatolia I, II, III” and H. Önkal’s “Tombs of Seljuk Rums” and “Ottoman Dynastical Tombs” deserve to be qualified as hand manuals. Moreover, Behçet Ünsal’s study of tomb styles, G. Öney’s comparison of tombs in Iran and Anatolia and Y. Demiriz’s book on Eyüb tombs have all contributed greatly to the field. D. Kuban’s evaluations on Seljuk and Ottoman tombstones have for long guided the scholars in the field. Finally, the most recent works by E. Daş, “Early Ottoman Tombs,” A. Doğanay, Ottoman Ornaments and İ. A. Yüksel, “Sultan Tombs” should be noted.
Hakkı Önkal
