Turkey's memory engraved in stone is being recorded! Approximately 7 thousand gravestones and inscriptions were documented in 18 provinces

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.

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.

EVERY STONE IS A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT

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Ersoy said, "Each tombstone, each inscription is a historical document that bears traces of the language, art, belief, aesthetic understanding and social life of the period in which he lived, beyond a name."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

IT STARTED IN 4 PROVINCES, REACHED 18 PROVINCES

The first field applications of the project were carried out in Tokat, Denizli, Istanbul and Diyarbakır in 2025 under the leadership of academics.

Within the scope of the studies, 243 gravestones were identified and recorded in the Alaattin District Cemetery Area in Denizli's Acıpayam district, 504 gravestones in the Şeyh Mustafa Devâtî Graveyard in Istanbul, 13 in the Mahmutpaşa Mosque Graveyard in Tokat and 99 gravestones in the Fatih Paşa Mosque Graveyard in Diyarbakır.

Thus, in the first year of implementation of the project, a total of 859 works were documented in four provinces.

The work was expanded in 2026 and moved to 18 provinces. As a result of field studies, the documentation of approximately 7 thousand works has been transferred to the data system so far. The work is planned to continue until the end of the year.

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.