Memorial Complex of Kasim-sheikh.

Memorial Complex of Kasim-sheikh.

Memorial Complex of Kasim-sheikh.

31/01 2020

Memorial Complex of Kasim-sheikh (XVI-XX centuries) is situated on the southern border of the city of Karmana (Kermine) of the Navoi Region.

Memorial Complex of Kasim-sheikh (XVI-XX centuries) is situated on the southern border of the city of Karmana (Kermine) of the Navoi Region.
The complex includes three courts of different periods. ‘Khazira’ – funeral court with a ‘dakhma’ – a funeral platform of sheikh and a commemorative mosque in the form of gallery with three domes and three paces, was built in 1570-s.
Later, the building of magnificent khanqah of centric composition was added to it from the backside. The central hall of khanqah is crosswise in plan and has a dome on four crossing arches standing on a very high cylindrical drum. Two floors of living ‘khudzhrs’ are located in the corners of the hall.
Two other courts with burials and accommodation for the pilgrims were formed in XIX – beginning of XX centuries on the south and west from the khanqah.
Kasim-sheikh belongs to the local branch of sheikhs of the Sufi brotherhood of Yasawiyya that practices a loud dhikr (recalling the given formulas or the names of Allah with a load voice, sometimes accompanied by the sound of a tambourine).
According to local historical and hagiographical sources, Kasim-sheikh was acting quite often as the peacemaker in the struggle of Shaybanids for the throne.
Over the course of this struggle sheikh has helped to one of Shaybanid descendants – Abdallakh-khan II (Abdullakhan II), who took the throne in Bukhara. After that the khan recognized Kasim-sheikh as his ‘murshid’ (teacher in Sufism). It is precisely in recognition of his help that Abdallakh-khan built the khanqah building for his murshid. According to other version, sheikh built the khanqah by himself by using the generous gifts of the khan. Other Shaybanid descendants (Iskandar-khan – father of previously mentioned Abdallakh-khan II, Rustam Bakhadir-khan, Dzhanibek sultan and others) were seriously influenced by this sheikh.
The Complex of Kasim-sheikh is unique as it is the largest complex dedicated to the sheikh of Yasawiyya Order on the territory of Uzbekistan. It includes biggest and monumental Sufi khanqah in the Navoi Region that was also covered by progressive constructions for that period – the dome standing of four crossing arches standing on the quite high cylindrical drum that is rare for the Maverannakhr Region. Inclusion of the site in the list of components of the nomination of the Silk Roads for the UNESCO World Heritage List is going to uncover the functional diversity, rich history and quite significant artistic particularities of the architecture of the Maverannakhr Region including the sites of Navoi Region located on the Great Silk Road. In the future, inclusion of this complex in the nomination is going to contribute to its competent restoration and conservation, preservation of its authenticity and popularization.
The following things were collected during the preparation of the documents on this site in the framework of the “Silk Roads: Zaravshan-Karakum Corridor” nomination dossier project:
• 6339 photos (including the detailed aerial photos of the front sides and roofs of the architectural elements, perspective and artistic aerial photos, panoramic photos, as well as photos of the view access points in the context of the urban environment on the level of human eyes);
• 5 video overflights that give full information on the volumes of the site and city-planning (urban) context;
The following things were received as the result:
• detailed orthophotomosaic and 3D model of the territory of the site that provide an opportunity to identify the architectural, infrastructural, household and other elements by the means of visual studies;
• digital elevation model (DEM) that provides an opportunity to evaluate the particularities of urban and natural landscape, as well as to form the detailed topographic map of the territory;
• detailed 3D models of the architectural sites that fully correspond to the visual perception of the whole site and its certain elements (documental precision of forms and geometry in full scale with the georeferencing and textures in high resolution allowing to visually evaluate the state of the smallest details etc.)
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