The Seljuk Han of Anatolia

INSCRIPTIONS 

Many hans have carved inscription dedication plaques (in Turkish, kitabesi) which provide valuable primary-source information about them.

Inscription plaques are always located over han doors. The plain surface over the door is usually flat, and constitutes a type of tympanum on which was placed the inscription plaque. Inscription plaques are generally located in one of 4 places:

    -over the door of the main portal
    -over the door of the mosque
    -over the door of the courtyard
    -over the door of the main covered section
 

The inscriptions are carved on their own specific piece of flat stone, of better quality than the surrounding building stone. These stones are usually recessed, with the depth providing the illusion that the plaques are framed.

The inscriptions run generally from 2-5 lines, in Arabic, and are in the nakshi script. They are of unequal quality, with the larger hans usually having a finer quality of workmanship. The inscriptions follow a typical formal protocol, including: date of the building, the date it was ordered (“Built in the time of Sultan…in the year…”), and the sultan, patron or institution responsible for its creation. The word “han” is not used, in favor of the word “ribat” (fortress). The name of the patron is sometimes mentioned at the same time as that of the reigning sultan. The dates are given in the day and month, and if the name of the architect is mentioned, it is given at the end of the inscription.
In certain cases (Kadin, Ertokuş, Çardak, Ak, Sadeddin), the inscription starts out with a mention of the “Sultanship” with no clear and precise name given. There are several hans for which the sultan and patron are both clearly indicated (both Sultan Hans, Incir, Evdir, Şarafsa and Alara).
Rarely is a date other than the building date listed, except for references to the restoration of the Sultan Han Aksaray portal and perhaps the restoration of the courtyard portal of Incir Han. A modern day restoration plaque was installed in the Zazadin Han to commemorate the 2007 renovation.

These inscriptions are invaluable, as they tell us the names of Sultans, patrons, charitable institutions, architects, and most importantly, building dates. From them we can deduce that the Sultan hans were built in Central Anatolia near the Royal Road, that there was a “western” group, probably through the initiative of Mahperi Sultan, and that the well-known patrons all built in Central Anatolia. Some curious facts are gleaned, such as the name of the Christian patron of Hekim Han, but there is very little information provided concerning the profiles of the lesser-known patrons. In only 2 cases (and both in relatively insignificant monuments) is the architect’s name given.

Inscription plaques provide the following information:

 Hans for which we know the Sultan was the patron (the so-called "Sultan Hans"):

Hans in which the Sultan’s reign is named : (“Built in the reign of …..”):
Most of the hans built by the sultans and mentioned in written sources have not survived to the present times. Yet the remaining inscriptions indicate that the majority of the hans were constructed by Alaeddin Keykubad I in particular, by his brother Izzeddin Keykavus I and by his son Giyaseddin Keyhüsrev II (1236-46).

Kirkgöz
Cimcimli Sultan Han
Çekereksu
Şarafsa (as patron)
 

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