Tombstone of Shihab ad-Din
Marble, Iran (Persia), Yazd, dated 1143, 44.68
Listen to author and scholar Reza Aslan discuss this artwork.
Produced by Acoustiguide © Seattle Art Museum
Mihrab in the Jameh Mosque of Yazd, Iran
This photo shows the mihrab in the Jameh Mosque of Yazd, Iran, where the museum’s tombstone is from. A mihrab is the niche at the front of the prayer room that indicates the qibla, the direction of the Kaaba (the sacred building in Mecca), which is the direction that all Muslims face when praying. The mihrab also helps to amplify the voice of the imam, who is responsible for leading prayer.
Mihrab of Jameh Mosque, © Mohsen Saberi.