Портал крымской мечети Узбека
The Portal of the Crimean Mosque of Uzbek

Summary/Abstract: The portal of the so called mosque of Uzbek in Stary Krym is a spolia and used to belong to a different building — a mosque erected in 714 AH (=1314) during the rule of the Golden Horde Khan Uzbek. The exact location of this mosque is still not known. As the inscription above the entrance says, the first building was constructed by Abdul-Aziz ibn Ibrahim al-Arbeli, whose ancestors came from the medieval Iraq. The stylistic features of this building witness of an artistic tradition spread in Central Anatolia during existence of Seljuk emirates. The offered reconstruction of the lost part of the portal is preliminary, it is just a sketch for analytical purposes. The composition of the nine-tier stalactitic conch relies on a geometric dimensional figure with 6-fold symmetry of rotation. In the context of processes related to the evolution of the Golden Horde state and symbols of power, the secondary use of the portal in a new structure dating to the early 16th century is a demonstration of spiritual continuity pursued by the founders of the Crimean Khanate.

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