Minaret of Jam
Type:
Minarets
Date:
ca. 1190
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Afghanistan
Dimensions:
Over 60 meters
Description:
The minaret of Jam is all that remains of Firozkoh (or Firuzkuh), the summer capital of the semi-nomadic Ghurid Sultanate. The Ghurid dynasty ruled parts of modern-day Afghanistan and northwest India ca. 1030–1206. Standing over 60 meters tall, this circular minaret is covered in baked bricks, stucco, and glazed tiles arranged into geometric patterns and both Kufic and naskhi inscriptions. These include the shahada, Qur'anic verses, and the names and titles of the Ghurid sultan Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad (r. 1163–1203).
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
8
Repository and Online Resources:
• The Minaret of Jam and surrounding archaeological site are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Image Credits:
Wikimedia Commons
Tags:
Central Asian,
Islamic,
Islamicate,
Status and identity,
Arabic
