Seljuk Stone with the Name of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Discovered in Turkey<\/p>\n
The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced the discovery of an ancient stone ornament carrying the name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) repeated six times in Kufic script. This was found during excavations at the Seljuk cemetery in the Ani archaeological site in Kars province, eastern Turkey.<\/p>\n
Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that the piece was found amid ongoing excavations in the Seljuk cemetery since 2021. He noted that its discovery coincided with the anniversary of the Prophet’s birth.<\/p>\n
According to the ministry, the stone measures 51 centimeters in length and 21 centimeters in width. It features an eight-pointed star in relief carving at its center, surrounded by a band of inscription in which the name of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is repeated six times in Kufic script.<\/p>\n
It was clarified that only half of the piece has remained preserved up to the present, allowing three of the inscribed names to be currently visible. An analysis of the design suggests that the name was originally repeated six times on the complete piece.<\/p>\n
Researchers believe that the stone was an architectural element associated with one of the Seljuk tombs in the cemetery, while the ministry described it as an important archaeological document reflecting the religious beliefs, architectural arts, and burial culture of that era.<\/p>\n
Ersoy stated that this discovery serves as archaeological evidence of Muslims’ love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and emphasized the historical significance of the Ani site in the progress of Islamic civilization in Anatolia.<\/p>\n
Based on data from the excavation work, the Seljuk cemetery in Ani is deemed one of the oldest Turkish Islamic cemeteries in Anatolia. The site hosts a large array of artifacts from various civilizations and states that have successively resided in the region over the centuries.<\/p>\n
The historic city of Ani holds significant archaeological importance due to its location on ancient trade and civilization routes and its diverse architectural heritage. In 2016, UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List, making it one of the most prominent historical sites that attract both local and international visitors to eastern Turkey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Seljuk Stone with the Name of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Discovered in Turkey The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced the discovery of an ancient stone ornament carrying the name of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) repeated six times in Kufic script. This was found during excavations at the Seljuk cemetery in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":145018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[10878],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-145019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archaeology"],"yoast_head":"\n