The problem of the origin of tombstones from Aswan in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo

A study identifies two distinct Arabic formulas commonly used on tombstones from Aswan, dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries, providing a reliable method to authenticate the origin of funerary inscriptions in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo. This breakthrough addresses long-standing documentation gaps, enabling researchers to trace tombstones originally transported from Aswan's cemetery at the end of the 19th century. By analyzing linguistic patterns, the research offers new avenues for studying Muslim prosopography and socio-political history, resolving ambiguities that have persisted since the 1930s when records became unreliable.

Schmidt, S. (2021). The problem of the origin of tombstones from Aswan in the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo. Chronique d’Egypte, 96(192), 353–370. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.cde.5.131356