The tombstones signed by Havend Bin Bergi in Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery

Due to its geographical location, Anatolia has been an important habitat for people throughout history. It has hosted numerous civilizations from the earliest seen on the stage of history to the present day. It is possible to find traces of every civilization that has lived and ruled in this geography. Although they may have been buried in the darkness of history, many historical artifacts from these civilizations have been left to us. It is possible to find a historical texture in every corner of Anatolia. Ahlat is one of the distinguished places that have inherited a rich historical heritage from Anatolia. Ahlat, which has been greatly influenced by civilizations that ruled in Mesopotamia, Iran, and Anatolia, has many historical artifacts that have come down to us intact until today. Undoubtedly, one of the most important historical artifacts that Ahlat possesses is its historical cemeteries. These cemeteries, with thousands of tombstones, are quite valuable in terms of our art and cultural history. These tombstones are both works of art and historical documents firsthand. In order to shed light on our history and to contribute these sources to the world of science, 29 artifacts belonging to Havend Bin Bergi, a tombstone master who worked in the Ahlat Seljuk Square Cemetery, were examined. The tombs made by the artist were studied comparatively in terms of art style, typology, historical development, and the artistic understanding of the period he lived in. The interaction between the master who trained Havend Bin Bergi, the masters he trained, and other masters who worked in the same period was evaluated. The contributions of Havend Bin Bergi to the world of science and art through his works were analyzed. It was tried to determine what contributions the information in his works could make specifically to Ahlat, generally to Anatolia, and to Islamic art and history. All tombstones made by the artist were analyzed within a certain method and brought together for the benefit of the scientific world.