Sanduga

A Sanduga (Azerbaijani: Sənduqə, Arabic: صندوقة; literally "tombstone chest") is a type of tombstone that is erected atop a grave, originating during Islamic rule in Azerbaijan, although similar styles are present in Timurid era monuments in Uzbekistan and later in Ottoman Turkey.^[1][2] Typical sanduga are made of concrete or limestone and are created in a rectangular form, with an exterior rich in detailed carvings.^[3] Such carvings are usually geometric patterns combined with Arabic calligraphy, the latter which is often Qur'anic verses and sometimes a eulogy about the entombed person.^[3] After the Soviet occupation of Azerbaijan, the practice of Sanduga was discontinued, while a large number of such tombstones at cemeteries in mountainous and rural areas were destroyed, either due to modernization or due to lack of care resulting in dilapidation.^[3][4][5]

A group of Sanduga is currently held in the private collection of the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan.^[5][6]