Denizli - The Ilbadi Cemetery Namazgah

Abstract

During the course of excavations at the Ilbadi Cemetery situated in the centre of Denizli in Western Anatolia a namazgah with a mihrab in the centre of the wall facing Mecca was discovered. After the wall had been uncovered a stone-tiled space 50 metres square in front of the mihrab revealed that the namazgah had been built on a square plan. Holes for uprights in the stone paving and fragmeents of roofing tiles suggested that this area had been covered. The hoard discovered in the west wall of the namazgah, which is in itself important in the history of Anatolian/Turkish architectural style, contained Ottoman and European coins from the 17th century giving important clues as to its connection with Ottoman/European trade. © Archaeopress and the individual authors 2015. All rights reserved.