The Minaret of Jam was built in what was and still is, an inhospitable and almost inaccessible region of Afghanistan, surrounded by mountains rising to over 11,000 feet.
Jam, which is believed to be ancient Firuzkuh, was the summer retreat of the Ghurid emperors (1150-1216), a Sunni Moslem dynasty whose empire stretched over vast areas including modern Afghanistan, Iran, Turkistan and Iraq.
The Minaret of Jam
The 213 feet tall Minaret of Jam described by UNESCO as, “A graceful soaring structure” has been accepted onto the World Heritage List on the basis of:
- Criterion III The Minaret of Jam and its associated archaeological remains constitute exceptional testimony to the power and quality of the Ghurid civilisation that dominated its region in the 12th and 13th centuries.
- Criterion IV The Minaret of Jam is an outstanding example of Islamic architecture and ornamentation in this region and played a significant role in their further dissemination.
Dan Cruikshank, who travelled to the area in 2008 to make a BBC television programme, commented on the inscriptions on the minaret which emphasised what Christianity, Judaism and Islam have in common rather than their differences. He said that the message is “more relevant now than ever.”
Purpose of the Minaret of Jam?
The purpose of the minaret, or tower which archaeologist David Thomas feels is a more accurate description, is a matter of much debate between historical scholars.
The nature of the inscriptions points to a religious use, a minaret from which the call to prayer was made for an adjacent mosque but it could be a commemoration of the area’s conversion to Islam or perhaps a victory tower constructed to celebrate a Ghurid victory over the Ghaznavid Empire.
Minaret of Jam Archaeological Project
In 2005 the Minaret of Jam Archaeological Project uncovered, “Areas of well-preserved, baked courtyard paving, probably belonging to a large public building.” Could this have been the adjacent mosque described by Ghurid chronicler Juzjani as having been washed away in a flood?
Although the minaret, dedicated to Sultan Ghiyath al-din, is certainly an Islamic creation, nearby archaeological excavations have revealed an earlier Jewish cemetery dating from the 11th-12th century. UNESCO says that eight further inscriptions have also come to light dating from 1012-1202.
The ruins of other small castles and towers found nearby have suggested that a military camp rather than a settlement surrounded the minaret.
After the Mongol destruction of the area in 1221 the minaret was ‘forgotten’ by the world, until 1886 when re-discovered by the Russo-Afghan Boundary Commission.
The remoteness of its location and political and military conditions have made it almost impossible for scholars to return to resume their research into the minaret’s history. There is also great fear that the Minaret of Jam, now tilting alarmingly, will collapse completely.
“For more than 800 years it has survived against the odds but all who care about it must now tremble for its future,” fitting words from Dan Cruikshank.
Sources:
David Thomas and Dr Alison Gascoigne, Minaret of Jam Archaeological Project, 2003-2007, website accessed 6/12/09
UNESCO World Heritage, Advisory Body Evaluation, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, 2002, website accessed 6/12/09
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