Type: Monument - Tomb
Province: Sindh
District: Thatta
Period: Historic
Relative Chronology: 17th Century CE
Description: It is located inside the Makli necropolis. This Brick Enclosure falls on the south of Mirza Isa Tarkhan the Younger’s Tomb. The grave of Baqi Baig Uzbek (d. 1641) is one of the three graves in this elaborate enclosure. Baqi Beg Uzbek`s tomb, a year after his death, is now a long way from its past grandeur. The high walls of the enclosure are built with finely laid bricks and divided into recessed arch panels. The western wall is dominated by a protruding, impressive prayer chamber faced with lofty, well decorated lancet arch flanked by two level arch panels, surmounted by a dome. The corners of the perimeter wall are treated in the form of semi circular alcoves, the north and west walls with rectangular alcoves. The entire structure was decorated with scintillating glazed tile work (kashi).
The tomb of Baqi Baig Uzbek with niches as an important feature of Funerary Architecture over several centuries and reigns along with the use of indigenous blue tile, the decorative use of which is evident everywhere, from the niches to the flooring to the inside of the domes. This tomb enclosure depicts spandrel showing floral interlacing and its domical ceiling showing chevron designs, while the grave showing chain motif and a stylised vase. 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 75 floral arabesques. The glazing decoration of this tomb and those on the Jani Beg Tarkhan tombs have close affinity with each other. The grave platform with mosque enclosure of Baqi Beg Uzbek 1647 CE depict the illustrious examples of fretwork. Besides, the footstone of a grave in the Rank of Baqi Beg Uzbek, is showing a very unique example, representing ewer shaped vase carved in high relief. The tomb enclosure of Baqi Beg Uzbek is also possessing some of the elegantly carved specimens of the thulth style. Brick imitations are noticed in the tombs of Jani Beg Tarkhan, Diwan Shurafa Khan and that of Baqi Beg Uzbek. The application of this mode of work is indicates that the kind of work serves dual purpose of providing stability to the masonry on one hand while creating grace in the buildings on the other hand. Similarly, the use of enameled ceramic tiles as used in the tomb of Baqi Beg Uzbek was a common phenomenon in Sindh and can be seen in the mosque enclosure of Amir Khani graveyard 1627 CE and the tomb of Diwan Shurafa Khan 1638 CE.
Latitude: 24.753219444
Longitude: 67.899936111
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
