Tile Panel thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Islamic Middle East, Room 42, The Jameel Gallery

Tile Panel

ca. 1359 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

At Bukhara in Uzbekistan, a magnificent domed mausoleum was erected over the grave of a Muslim descendant of the great Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan. For a time this man, Buyanquli Khan, was the puppet ruler of parts of Central Asia, but in 1358, when he tried to assert his own authority, he was assassinated by a local warlord.

Buyanquli's tomb was built in a cemetery on the outskirts of Bukhara. The entire building was covered in tiles, inside and out.

The tiles were deeply carved with inscriptions and other ornament, and covered with coloured glazes before the final firing. This impressive technique was used in Central Asia only for a brief period, from around 1350 to the early 15th century.

These tiles were originally set at the left end of the main façade of the tomb.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Panel
  • Panel
  • Panel
Materials and techniques
Carved earthenware under coloured glazes
Brief description
Fragment of vertical panel from the tomb of Buyanquli Khan, Uzbekistan (Bukhara), about 1358
Physical description
Panel with three large arabesque spirals in relief
Dimensions
  • Framed height: 125cm
  • Framed width: 50.4cm
  • Framed depth: 8cm
  • Framed weight: 32kg
Gallery label
Jameel Gallery 1-13 Tiles from the Tomb of Buyanquli Khan Uzbekistan, Bukhara About 1358 8 Fragment of Vertical Panel From left end of main façade Carved earthenware under coloured glaze Museum no. 574 to B-1900 (Jameel Gallery)
Object history
Taken from the facade of the tomb of Buyanquli Khan in Bukhara.
Production
From the tomb of Buyanquli Khan in Bukhara (modern Uzbekistan).
Subject depicted
Summary
At Bukhara in Uzbekistan, a magnificent domed mausoleum was erected over the grave of a Muslim descendant of the great Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan. For a time this man, Buyanquli Khan, was the puppet ruler of parts of Central Asia, but in 1358, when he tried to assert his own authority, he was assassinated by a local warlord.

Buyanquli's tomb was built in a cemetery on the outskirts of Bukhara. The entire building was covered in tiles, inside and out.

The tiles were deeply carved with inscriptions and other ornament, and covered with coloured glazes before the final firing. This impressive technique was used in Central Asia only for a brief period, from around 1350 to the early 15th century.

These tiles were originally set at the left end of the main façade of the tomb.
Bibliographic reference
Claus-Peter Haase, "Buyan Quli Chan - Baudekor," Damaszener Mitteilungen 11 (1999): 205-25.
Collection
Accession number
574 to B-1900

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Record createdAugust 9, 2004
Record URL
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