Non-Islamic Burials in the territory of the Kyrk-Azizler Muslim Burial Ground

Abstract

Kyrk-Azizler burial ground is located on the northern outskirts of the city of Bakhchisaray. This necropolis is well known from written sources and the studies of the early twentieth century. Throughout the whole period of studying the Crimean antiquities, the necropolis was considered an exclusively Muslim elite cemetery of the 14th-19th centuries. However, during rescue archaeological work at the necropolis in 2018, carried out under the leadership of the authors of the article, it became clear that the site is more complex, and the idea of it being an exclusively Islamic burial ground is not true. A previously unknown settlement, similar to early Muslim burials, was discovered in the territory of the archaeological site along with medieval burials with a funeral rite which does not correspond to the Islamic tradition. The work is dedicated to non-Muslim graves discovered in the territory of a Muslim cemetery.

Keywords

• archaeology
• crimea
• muslim necropolis
• horde
• funerary rite
• pagandom