The history of Anatolia engraved on stones is being recorded

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism records the tombstones and inscriptions throughout Türkiye that bear the traces of the Turkish-Islamic civilization dating back centuries. While field studies started in 4 provinces in 2025 and reached 18 provinces in 2026, approximately 7 thousand works have been documented so far. By bringing together the data obtained in a common digital database, it is aimed to create Turkey's comprehensive scientific corpus in this field.

Within the scope of the "Turkish-Islamic Period Gravestones and Inscriptions National Inventory Project" implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2024, the historical and cultural memory of Anatolia engraved on stones is documented with scientific methods.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy gave information about the size the project has reached in his post on his social media account.

NATIONAL DIGITAL MEMORY WILL BE CREATED

The project aims to identify and document tombstones and inscriptions from the Turkish-Islamic period throughout the country, as well as to bring together all the data obtained in a common national database.

The works recorded; It can be evaluated scientifically under different headings such as period, region, material, type of writing, art style and inscription features.

It is aimed to continue the studies covering the whole country in the coming years and to transform the created inventory into a comprehensive scientific corpus that researchers can benefit from in the long term.

Minister Ersoy said, "Our goal is to bring together this unique heritage from all over our country in a common digital database and turn it into a comprehensive scientific corpus over time. We record the memory of Anatolia on stone with scientific methods, preserve it and transfer it to future generations." he said.

Minister Ersoy said, "We are recording the tombstones and inscriptions, which bear the traces of the Turkish-Islamic civilization going back centuries, with a comprehensive study we carry out throughout the country. Within the scope of the National Inventory Project of Turkish-Islamic Period Gravestones and Inscriptions, which we implemented in 2024, we have carried out the field studies that we started in Tokat, Denizli, Istanbul and Diyarbakır in 2025, to 18 provinces this year. Approximately 7 thousand samples have been collected so far." "We carried out the documentation of the work." he said.

Emphasizing that gravestones and inscriptions are not just names and dates, Ersoy pointed out that these works provide important information in many fields, from the social and cultural life of the period to the understanding of art and aesthetics.

Ersoy said, "Each tombstone, each inscription is a historical document that bears traces of the language, art, belief, aesthetic understanding and social life of the period in which he lived, beyond a name." made his assessment.