Minaret of Jam

Introduction

The Minaret of Jam, known in Pashto and Dari as منار جام, stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Afghanistan. Located in the remote Shahrak District of Ghor Province, it lies next to the Hari River. This 62-meter (203 feet) or 65-meter (213 feet) high minaret, built around 1190 AD, is renowned for its intricate brick, stucco, and glazed tile decorations. These decorations feature alternating bands of Kufic and Naskhi calligraphy, geometric patterns, and verses from the Qur’an. Since 2002, the minaret has been on the World Heritage in Danger list due to serious erosion threats and lack of active preservation. In 2014, the BBC reported the tower was in imminent danger of collapse.

Recognition and Etymology

In 2020, the Minaret of Jam was listed among cultural heritage sites of the Islamic world by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO). According to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is Afghanistan’s first cultural heritage site to be listed by ICESCO. The term “minaret” is derived from the Arabic word منارة, which typically refers to a tower next to a mosque from which the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer. However, it can also mean lighthouse and has other meanings. In this context, it is used loosely.

Site and Structure

The Minaret of Jam is likely located at the site of the Ghurid Dynasty’s capital, Firozkoh. The circular minaret rests on an octagonal base and originally had two wooden balconies topped by a lantern. Its design closely resembles the Ghazni minarets built by Masud III and is thought to have inspired the Qutub Minar in Delhi, India. The Minaret of Jam is part of a group of around 60 minarets and towers built between the 11th and 13th centuries in Central Asia, Iran, and Afghanistan. This group includes the Kutlug Timur Minaret in Old Urgench, long considered the tallest of these still in existence. These minarets were symbols of Islam’s victory, while other towers served as landmarks or watchtowers.

Archaeological Landscape

The archaeological landscape around Jam includes the ruins of a palace, fortifications, a pottery kiln, and a Jewish cemetery. These ruins are suggested to be the remains of the lost city of Turquoise Mountain. Analysis of “robber holes,” high-resolution satellite images, and data from Google Maps estimate that the Ghurid summer capital around the minaret covered about 19.5 hectares. The archaeological site of Jam was successfully nominated as Afghanistan’s first World Heritage site in 2002. It was also inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage in Danger due to the precarious state of preservation of the minaret and the effects of looting.

Historical Context

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Ghurids controlled what is now Afghanistan, as well as parts of eastern Iran, Central Asia, Northern India, and parts of Pakistan. The Arabic inscription dating the minaret is unclear, possibly reading 1193/4 or 1174/5 AD. It could commemorate the victory of the Ghurid sultan Ghiyas ud-Din over the Ghaznavids in 1186 in Lahore. However, Dr. Ralph Pinder-Wilson, a British archaeologist, believed the minaret commemorated the victory of Mu’izz ad-Din, Ghiyath ud-Din’s brother, over Prithviraj Chauhan, which allowed Islam to spread into the northern Indian subcontinent. It is assumed that the Minaret was attached to the Friday Mosque of Firozkoh, which the Ghurid chronicler Abu ‘Ubayd al-Juzjani states was washed away in a flash flood before the Mongol sieges in the early 13th century. Evidence of a large courtyard building beside the minaret and river sediments on top of the baked-brick paving supports this assumption.

Rediscovery and Conservation Efforts

The Minaret was little known outside Afghanistan until Sir Thomas Holdich reported it in 1886 while working for the Afghan Boundary Commission. It gained world attention in 1957 through the work of French archaeologists André Maricq and Gaston Wiet. Later, Werner Herberg conducted limited surveys around the site in the 1970s, and Ralph Pinder-Wilson completed his major study of the site in the same decade.

Recent Threats and Conservation

On January 17, 2022, an earthquake struck western Afghanistan, causing bricks to fall from the tower and increasing the risk of collapse. The Minaret of Jam faces threats from erosion, water infiltration, floods, and frequent earthquakes. The tower has been tilting, and stabilization work has been carried out at various times. In 2002, British explorer Rory Stewart reported that looters and illegal excavations had damaged the archaeological site surrounding the minaret. In 2018, Taliban clashes with local forces near the Minaret of Jam resulted in damage to the surrounding area.

Inscriptional Content

The uppermost band of the minaret consists of the Muslim confession of faith, the shahada. Below this are bands containing verse 13, surat al-Saff LXI, and the names and titles of Ghiyath ad-Din Muhammad bin Sam. An oblong hexagon with two lines of naskhi and an inscription “Abu’l-Fath” are also present. Interlaced bands consist of surat Maryam XIX, and a Kufic inscription dates the minaret to 1193/4 AD.

Future Conservation Efforts

The minaret was largely rediscovered in 1958 by French explorers. From its finding to the early 1970s, active restoration efforts and scientific studies were conducted to slow the decay process. However, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, no efforts were made. UNESCO has tried to launch assessment programs, including 3D scanning and hydraulic measurements, but political instability has hindered progress. Much needs to be done to aid in the conservation of the minaret. Security should be a primary focus to prevent looting. Engaging the people of Afghanistan in preservation efforts could help fund future conservation projects.

Sources: Wikipedia