A decorated stone bearing six repetitions of the name of the Prophet Muhammad in Kufic script has been discovered during archaeological excavations at the Seljuk cemetery in the ancient city of Ani, Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said.
Ersoy announced the discovery in a post on his NSosyal account, saying the artifact was uncovered at Ani, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Türkiye’s eastern border.
The discovery was made during excavations that have been ongoing at the Seljuk cemetery since 2021, Ersoy said.
“We have unearthed a unique artifact in Ani, which opened the door to Turkic-Islamic history in Anatolia with Sultan Alp Arslan’s conquest in 1064,” Ersoy said, referring to the Seljuk ruler who captured the city.
The 51-by-21-centimeter (20-by-8-inch) stone features a raised-relief design centered on an eight-pointed star. An inscription band surrounding the star repeats the name of the Prophet Muhammad six times in Kufic script. Because only half of the artifact has survived, three of the six repetitions are currently visible, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.
