Gravestone Dated 1062, Reused in 1128

Art Historical Context

This modest gravestone, carved from steatite—a soft, lustrous soapstone prized in Islamic art for its workability—measures just 6½ by 8⅝ inches, making it a portable relic of personal devotion. Dated to A.H. 522 (1128 CE) in the Islamic calendar, it bears an earlier inscription from 1062, revealing its reuse over six decades. Such recycling was common in medieval Islamic societies, where durable stones were repurposed amid shifting dynasties or urban growth, preserving history while honoring the deceased. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Islamic Art department (acquired via the Roge...