Death buri̇al tradi̇ti̇ons and samples of hi̇stori̇cal tombstones of Syriac i̇n Mardin Artuklu District

The gravestones, which are among the main sources of many disciplines in Art History, give us ideas about the period in which they existed with their compositions and ornament compositions. The purpose of selecting the Syriac gravestones in the Syriac Churches in Mardin Province as the subject of this study is to examine the Syriac gravestones, which have not been studied before, and catalogue these gravestones, which are ruining day by day. The aim of the study is to determine the relationship between Syriac and other Islamic period gravestones, and establish their importance and place in terms of history. As a result of this thesis study, which we have done in Mardin Province, 33 Syriac gravestones in the 5 Syriac Churches have been investigated. All of the graveyards examined are the examples remaining from the last period of the Ottoman Empire (late 18th century and early 19th century). While 9 of the tombstones that we have identified belong to deceased woman, 24 belong to deceased male. The decorations on all of the gravestones in the burial areas were made by engraving and carving technique. The most common ornaments seen on tombstones, arch surfaces and borders are curved branches and leaf motifs in the form of round or multi-segment arch. The forms on gravestones are seen in the forms of rectangular, square, prismatic crate, pedestal cover, rectangular prism. The earliest of these gravestones belong to the metropolitans of the Kırklar Church dating back 1731 A.D. The material mainly used in gravestones is limestone. On the gravestones examined, two different burial styles can be witnessed: The first one is direct burial in the ground and the second one is burial in church wall. After the important clergies are buried in the niches especially inside the church, these niches are covered with stone material by building wall. After these niches are closed until the next burial, re-application is done by re-opening the built wall to bury the new dead person. After the bones of the previous body are properly stowed on one side of the niche, the new body of the deceased is placed in the same position. For instance; 3 bodies buried in one of the graveyard belong to the Metropolitans in the Kırklar Church. Direct burial is applied in the form of a rectangular grave opening into the earth, as in other societies and religions. Such burials are generally applied for general public. According to the social, economic or religious status of the person, gravestones and sarcophaguses differ. Most of the gravestones in the churches are inscribed, and the inscriptions are written with celi sülüs (artistic writing). Syriac people used Syriac Alphabet in Mardin and around from the 2nd century BC onwards. The Syriac alphabet is one of the Sami alphabets derived from the Arami alphabet and is associated with the Phoenician, Hebrew and Arabic alphabet. Since Arabs and Syrians lived together in the region, Syriac alphabet was affected from Arabic alphabet. Therefore, Syrians have used Arabic and Arami alphabets in the inscriptions on their graveyards. Some of the inscriptions taking place on some gravestones have been erased in time due to the environmental conditions. It is useful to take measures for the protection of these gravestones which reveal important data in terms of Art History.