The Beginning of Islam in Central Asia: The First Mosque in Merv, Turkmenistan

Orta Asya’daki ilk cami, eski Merv’in (Gyaur-kala) merkezinde, şehrin dört ana kapısından başlayarak iki ana caddenin kesiştiği yerde bulunuyordu. Cami, 7. yüzyılın ikinci yarısında, Merv’in Arap birlikleri tarafından fethedilmesinden sonra inşa edilmiştir. Cami, Beni Makhan Camii olarak tanındı. M. Masson, 1950’lerde ortaçağ kaynaklarından ve topografik çalışmalardan elde edilen verileri kullanarak caminin yerini bulmayı başardı ve 1960’larda T. Khodjaniyazov tarafından tamamlanan kazılara başlandı. Kil tuğladan inşa edilen ilk cami, neredeyse yıkılmıştır. O dönemin camisinin kesin tasarımı bilinmemektedir. Selçuklular zamanında, 11-12. yüzyıllarda yeniden inşa edilmiştir. Köşe minaresi, doğu ve kısmen güney duvarları ise daha önceki yapıdan kalmıştır. Üç minareli yeni caminin dikdörtgen planı yanlıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Ortaçağ, Cami, Merv, Türkmenistan, Orta Asya

Orta Asya’da İslam’ın Başlangıcı: Türkmenistan Merv’deki İlk Cami

The first mosque in Central Asia was situated in the center of ancient Merv (Gyaur-kala) in the crossroad of two main streets, starting from four main gates of the town. The mosque was erected in the second half of the 7th century, after the Arab troops conquered Merv. The mosque became known as Beni Makhan Mosque. Using data from medieval sources and topographical works in the 1950s. M. Masson managed to find out the location of the mosque and began excavations, which were completed later in the 1960s by T. Khodjaniyazov. Been built of clay bricks, the first mosque was almost destroyed. The exact design of the mosque of that period is unknown. It was rebuilt in the 11th-12th centuries, in the time of the Seljuks. The corner minaret, the eastern and partially the southern walls, remained from the old building. The new mosque with three minarets has an incorrect rectangular plan.

Keywords:

Middle Ages, Mosque, Merv, Turkmenistan, Central Asia,

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