Type: Monument - Tomb
Province: Sindh
District: Thatta
Period: Historic
Relative Chronology: 17th Century CE
Description: It is located inside the Makli necropolis on the north of the tomb of Isa Khan Tarkhan-II across the road leading to the tomb of Abdullah Ashabi. The main tomb chamber is located inside the enclosure wall. It is square in plan, measuring 35.40mx35.40m. The existing height of the wall is varying, however, the average height excluding the west wall is 1.90 m from the present ground level, whereas, its thickness is 65cm. The height of the western wall excluding the mehrab façade is 2.65m. This enclosure wall was once entirely constructed from rectangular brick tiles, measuring 23x11x5cm. These are cemented through lime mortar. This brick masonry wall has been coated with a thick coat of lime plaster, its thickness is 7cm. It is worthwhile, to proclaim here, that the above stated plastering work is showing its tendency to the glazed plastering work. It is a kind of plaster providing stability to the masonrical composition, moreover, creating grace in the entire structural composition.
The mehrab on the west of the tomb chamber is composed in the form of pointed arch alcove. This is enclosed by a rectangular frame. The mehrab is surmounted by a simple parapet, its total height is 5.73m. The mehrab façade on the either side is flanked by the rectangular shape solid minarets. Their existing height from the floor level is 6.80m, whereas, its height above the parapet is 1.07m. These minarets are rectangular in plan, measuring 1.35mx76cm. These minarets are constructed from the burnt bricks. Moreover, their frontal facing is representing both glazed and unglazed tiles. The mehrab façade on the either side above the wall is showing Persian inscriptions in nastalique style. These have been executed in high relief. The inscriptional slabs are measuring 84cmx42cm. The above stated inscriptions are framed by three border bands. The inner most is fencing the inscriptional slab, showing a chain motif carved in relief. Whereas, the second border is depicting a painted glazed tile band in green colour. While, the third border is illustrating unglazed terracotta tiles strip, which is measuring 20x17cm. The alcove arch of the Mehrab has been enclosed with rectangular frame. Its border is richly ornamented with terracotta painted glazed tiles, showing floral scrolls. It may be added here that below the parapet up to the shoulder of the alcove ceiling is showing three border bands. The inner one is representing a painted glazed tile band with blue colour. Whereas, the central strip is showing a single row of stepped lozenge motif, it is filled inside with similar pattern. While, the outer border is denoting a band of unglazed terracotta tiles. The mehrab chamber is located on a 5cm raised platform. Which is internally measuring 3.30 x 2.35m. Whereas, its flooring is paved with burnt brick tiles. Both the dado level and the arch alcove ceiling are completely defaced. However, the inner part of the soffit on the either side, is richly embellished with terracotta glazed and unglazed tiles. These are representing different patterns, such as, swastika, cross motif and diamond shape designs, these are executed in green, blue and white colours. The above mentioned decorative elements have been wrought on the soffits of the arch alcove are framed by a painted glazed tile border band, illustrating floral scrolls. The octagonal shape mehrab niche is enclosed with a projected border frame, its height is 3.10m. While, the inner height of the mehrab is 2.86m. Whereas, it’s inner side is measuring 1.02m x 78cm. The mehrab niche on its either side is showing sky blue and white colours terracotta glazed tiles, arranged in stepped lozenge pattern, filled inside by the same motif, this ornamental band is starting from the dado level. Whereas, it is also covering the tympanum of the mehrab arch. It is further bordered by a band of floral scrolls. The tympanum is showing the traces of floral scrolls, however, these have been mostly defaced. The outer arch alcove of the mehrab is flanked by pointed recessed arch panels, four each on the either side. These are encased by a sunken border band. These recessed arch panels are measuring 2.02 x 2.14m. The above stated panels have been wrought internally with the terracotta glazed revetment, depicting stepped lozenge motif, which is filled inside by the same pattern. It has been bordered by a floral scroll. Moreover, the spandrels have been enriched with floral arabesque. It may be suggested here that the glazing decoration of the at issue tomb and those on the Jani Beg Tarkhan and Baqi Beg Uzbek tombs have close affinity with each other. It may be further pointed out that the work executed in the under discussion structure has been mostly defaced, however, the intact patches are denoting its past glory. The entrance provided to the enclosure wall is lying on its southern direction. The total height including the plain parapet is 3.17m and its outer width is 2.58m. The arch entrance height is 2.98m and the internal opening width is 1.42m. The parapet is chamfered in plan, its length is 56cm and thickness is 37cm. It has similar ornamentation as can be noticed on the outer and inner facing of this tomb chamber. The pronounced shape drum is circular in plan, its diameter is 23.22m and its height upto the cornice moulding of the dome is 2.22m. This drum has a decorative band of tassel ornamentation, which has been bordered by light blue glazed tiles. It is 94cm higher from the floor of the roof. Above the base moulding of the drum, the entire surface has been executed with light blue colour glazed and unglazed terracotta tiles are used to create grace in the structural composition. There is a pointed shape double dome is rising from the cornice moulding of the drum. The dome is initiating in protruding order, from here onwards it is rising up to the summit in pointed pattern. The height of the dome is 4.46m, whereas, its height including the circular drum is 6.68m and its total height from the floor level is 13.78m. This dome is entirely covered with similar embellishment work, which may be observed on the outer and inner facing of the tomb chamber. It is pertinent to advocate here that the inner height of the domical ceiling is 9.00m, whereas, the outer height up to the summit of the dome is 13.78 m. If we minus the thickness of the two shells about 80 cm, then the empty space between the two shells would be approximately 4.00 m. The platform above which the tomb chamber and the enclosure wall mehrab are located is 80cm raised from the ground level and measuring 27.94 x 20.40m. The flooring is paved with square burnt brick tiles. The main tomb chamber is representing a very unique gesture in the mode of workmanship. It seems to be chamfered in plan, however, the chamfered corners are attached with round shape corner turrets. These are undoubtedly denoting the beginning of a new style at Makli Hill. The tomb chamber is located on a 27cm raised platform. The dado level is wrought with dressed yellow marble tiles, its height is 1.01m. The total height of the outer façade of the tomb chamber is 7.10m. It has been added with four arch openings. These are placed inside arch alcoves, which are framed by a rectangular shape border band, its height is 5.65m. The parapet is showing simple terracotta glazed tiles. The spandrels of this alcove arches are showing floral arabesque, executed with white, blue and light blue colours. The inner border band of the arch alcove is denoting floral scrolls. The remaining exterior surface of the façade is representing only light blue terracotta glazed and unglazed tiles. It may be further added here that above the dado level up to the parapet similar painted glazed and unglazed terracotta tiles may be observed. The inner height of the arch alcove is 5.18m, moreover, these arch alcoves on the four sides are internally composed in rectangular shape vestibules, measuring 3.30 x 1.52m. The dado level is executed with dressed yellow marble tiles, its height is 75cm. The soffits of the four arch alcoves are similar in decoration to the outer facing of the façade. Inside this arch alcove, similar archway has been provided at its inner end, which is enclosed by a rectangular frame. It is worthwhile, to mention here that both the inner and outer arch spandrels are identical in decoration. Inside this southern archway a rectangular shape entrance is added. It is fenced on either side by jambs with a lintel above or a doorsill bellow. This doorway is measuring, 1.89m x 90cm. It is executed with dressed marble slabs. Above the lintel a dressed stone slab is added, which is showing Quranic verses in thulth style. These have been carved in low relief.
It is significant to elaborate here that the space below the above stated inscriptions on the either side of the archway, has been filled with diamond shape perforated panel, which has been executed with light blue tiles. The tympanum is also treated in the same manner. These fret work panels are bordered with floral bands, wrought in glazed work. The round shape corner turrets are four in number. These turrets are lying on a raised platform, which is 1.04m above the floor level. The total height of these turrets is 7.10m. The inner sides of these corner turrets are provided with a staircase yielding 21 steps. These are leading to the roof of the tomb chamber. The entrance of these staircases is measuring 1.80m x 56cm. It may be added here that these turrets above the plinth up to the parapet have been enriched with similar tile work as can be noticed on the outer facing of the tomb chamber. Internally this tomb chamber is square in plan, measuring 5.80x5.80m. Its floor has been paved with burnt bricks. The inner four walls are raised on 74cm high plinth. It is veneered with yellow marble dressed tiles. The inner four sides of this tomb chamber are provided with high pointed arches. These have been enclosed with rectangular frames. These rectangular frames are wrought with a decorative band of glazed decoration, which is depicting floral scrolls. Whereas, the spandrels of these four arches are representing floral arabesque, similar to the outer arch spandrels, however, the above stated floral interlacing is slightly thicker in composition. The pointed arch shape squinches are resting on the square shape projected outwards cornice moulding. The eight squinches are ornamented by means of similar glazed tiles, as can be noticed at the inner and outer sides of the tomb chamber. The angle squinches are deeper in composition. Whereas, the cardinal squinches are flat in order. Their either sides are flanked by a pilaster. These alongside the squinches are supporting the superstructure. The circular base of the domical ceiling is resting on the arch squinches. Its total height from the floor level is about 9.00m. The domical ceiling is garnished with light blue glazed terracotta and unglazed tiles. These have been composed in zigzag pattern. It is utmost significant to argue here that zigzag treatment of the domical ceiling at Makli Hill has been started for the first time during the Samma period.
Latitude: 24.754155556
Longitude: 67.899677778
Ownership: Federal Government
Legal Status: Protected by The Antiquity Act 1975 (As amended in 1992)
Title of Publication: Inventory of Cultural Property in the Province of Sindh, Pakistan, 2015
Published In: Government of Sindh, Vol 4
Year of Publication: 2015
Bibliography/Reference: Jansen, Michael, Yasmeen Lari
