Examples of submerged Sufi shrines in Baghdad (an archaeological study)

Abstract

This paper is concerned with studying examples of submerged shrines in Baghdad, and they are many, from which we chose three: the tomb of Sheikh Muhammad al-Azhari, the tomb of Qilij Arslan, and the tomb of Ibrahim al-Fadl. Despite the ancient and historical importance of these three tombs, they were neglected and were not previously documented in an archaeological scientific study. That is why the researcher sought to document these three mausoleums with a descriptive and analytical study that relied on field visits, and to develop a plan for each mausoleum showing its exact shape and measurements, and to reinforce that with photographs. As well as studying the tombs and writings that were found on the graves of the owners of the tombs under study and emptying the decorations and writings executed in the form of artistic paintings, in the hope of protecting them from demolition and change carried out by some government institutions. The study has reached results that the researcher hopes will be useful in the field of academic studies specialized in late Islamic antiquities, as they document important landmarks in Baghdad; It contributes to revealing important aspects of religious architecture to make it a link in the chain of shrines recorded in the world of architecture.

Keywords

• shrines
• mosques
• domes
• tombstones