Meade County news., 1916-11-02

In the next stage these facades further
shrink into u mere arcading, and then
the kumbet type is complete. Inter-
nally these buildings contain two cham
bers one above another. The lower is
the tomb-chamber; the upper is acces
sible by one or four doors, which it re
quired q ladder to reach.
About mile away, and nearer the
shore, far more beautiful kumbet ex.
lists, the finest example of Armenian
art as modified by Mussulman builders.
Once there were two near together
here, also but one of them collapsed
about twenty years ago. Tradition"
says Lynch, "relates that these compan.
ion tombs are the burial places of two
brothers, and the work of a single
architect. For the elder brother was
designed the structure which has now
fallen, and is said to have been greatly
inferior to that which stands. This in.
dividual lived to see the more finished
monument erected, and to brood over
the invidious contrast between his own
and his brothers tomb. His anger was
visited upon the daring architect, who
was condemned to lose his right hand"
The fallen tomb was made for "the
great and noble emir, Shadi Agha," who
| died in 1918. The standing Kumbet Is
nameless. 1t Is not large; each side of
its base measures only 80 feet. None
of the great monuments of the world
are large. Great size usually connotes
poverty of design in monumental archi
lecture or sculpture. But this nameless
tomb by the shores of Van is Of very
perfect quality-admirabl in proper
tions, fine in finish, and it's restricted
ornament very beautiful and very elab
crate.
One wonders how such buildings
come to fall. They are formed solid
ly of stone and the masonry seems c!
good quality. The domed area insidi
is small and the walls thick enough
to carry the weight and bear the
thrust, one would suppose, forever
Probably the mortar is poor, and
then there are earthquakes which
shiver them from time to time. All
my photographs of kumbets show
suggestive cracks, and those taken OF
the same building after a few years
interval indicate that the cracks ar
widening and multiplying.
Built of Pink Stone.
The Akhlat monuments owe some
thing to the pink volcanic stone o.
which they are built. Seen against
clear blue sky on a day of sunshine
with the calm waters of the lake
spreading away beyond them to faI
distant hills, their solitary stateli
ness commands the attention and re
tains it. A glance shows the perfec
tion of the best of them. Like al
fine Mussulman buildings it produces
its full effect at q Gothic cathedral
to realize its excellence. You do not
even need to walk round it. 1t is thu
same from every point of view-al
ways satisfying, always complete, al
ways faultless.
One other kumbet deserves to b,
mentioned. 1t is situated close to tht
south shore of the lake, days ride
from the city of Van. The gardens OF
Vostan stretch up behind it over the
lower slopes of the Ardos hills and
not far away is that holy island Of
Akhthamar mentioned before. Tht
date of this also is recorded 1892,
showing it to be half a century later
than the isolated tomb at Akhlat. II
is obviously initiated from that, with
changes which are not improvements
The circle has gone back to polygon.
The characteristic Armenian inches
are multiplied and set in small panels,
The stalactites are hardened. Still II
remains "a charming monument, OF
highly finished masonry, fresh and
clean as on the day when 1t was com.
pleted." The interior of the upper
chamber here also is perfectly plain.
Halimeh, daughter of Sheikh Ibrahim,
once ruler in these parts, was here
laid to her rest. We know nothing
whatever about her or her father, but
as long as this building, or photo
graph of it, survives, he will not bt
without honor among those who love
the beautiful things that the hands oi
men have fashioned, whether for hon
or OF Cor joy.