Gravestones found mosques' burial areas and Karaman Museum in Karaman

In this study, the tombstones in the burial areas of Aktekke Mosque, Hoca Mahmud Mosque, Kethane Mosque, Pir Ahmed Mosque, Yunus Emre Mosque, and the Karaman Museum in the city center of Karaman were examined. As a result of the examination, a total of 198 tombstones were identified. Of these, 156 are headstones, 34 are footstones, 4 are symbolic sarcophagi without a headstone and footstone, and 4 are sarcophagi. The date range of these tombstones is 14-20 centuries. Of the examined tombstones, there are 54 tombstones belong to a male, and there are 33 tombstones that belong to a female. Although, the most common building material of tombstones is stone, some of the tombstones are made of marble material in our study area. There are earthen tombs, symbolic sarcophagi, pehleli tombs, and framed tombs in the investigated area. Some of the male tombstones have turbans, fez, and sect heads. Headless tombstones have a triangular top, a pointed arch, a semicircular arch, a sliced arch, a vegetative or flat top. Most of the inscribed tombstones are celi sulus, and there are also celi talik and rika writings. The techniques used in tombstones are scraping and ground carving. In the ornament types seen in the studied area, there are ornamental elements with floral motifs, geometric motifs, objects, and architectural elements. The text analyses of the inscribed tombstones were made in detail. The tombstones in the studied area were compared with the tombstone samples in different shades. This study is important in terms of showing the common characteristics and local differences of the tombstones of the periods they were made.