2026. no 1. Dmitry Sadofeev

Revision of the Traditional Reconstruction of the Cenotaph in the Pir Huseyn Mausoleum

Dmitry Sadofeev
State Hermitage Museum
Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

Abstract. This study presents a critical reconsidering of the existing reconstruction of the cenotaph, as originally proposed by V.A. Krachkovskaya in her monograph “Tiles from the mausoleum of Pir Huseyn”. Recent investigations have revealed significant discrepancies between Krachkovskaya’s conclusions and new discoveries pertaining to the provenance and functional role of some tiles employed in the complex’s original decorative program.
The author points out that the tiles attributed to the lower segment of the pedestal (the so-called ledge) were erroneously assigned to the mausoleum. It has been established that the construction of the ledge forming the pedestal’s foundation incorporated not five, but six elongated rectangular tiles, a finding which substantially alters the perceived proportions of the entire structure.
The author contends that the physical dimensions of the discovered ledge tiles are incompatible with the established parameters of the mausoleum, thereby challenging the validity of the previous reconstruction. The researcher has proposed alternative configurations for tiles placement within the pedestal. Particular emphasis is placed on the functional purpose of the hole (or bowl) found on one tile, suggesting it potential for horizontal installation. This proposition significantly simplifies the overall composition of the cenotaph and finds correlation with regional historical exemplars, demonstrating characteristic techniques of traditional funerary monument ornamentation.
According to the proposed revised reconstruction, the dimensions of the pedestal are approximately 180–220 cm in length, up to 120 cm in width, and circa 100 cm in height. The pedestal was surmounted by a cenotaph, formed by the direct conjunction of pitched tiles and adorned with supplementary decorative elements on its lateral facets.

Keywords: tiles; mausoleum; khanqah; Pir Huseyn; cenotaph

For citation: Sadofeev D.V. Revision of the Traditional Reconstruction of the Cenotaph in the Pir Huseyn Mausoleum. Krymskoe istoricheskoe obozrenie=Crimean Historical Review. 2026, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 87–103. https://doi.org/10.22378/kio.2026.1.87-103 (In Russian)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dmitry V. Sadofeev – Research Fellow of the Oriental Department, State Hermitage Museum (34, Palace Embankment, St. Petersburg 190000, Russian Federation); ORCID: 0009-0000-0309-774X. E-mail: tashrin@mail.ru

Received 10.01.2026

Accepted 10.03.2026