IDNO

P.97220.WIL

Description

An open doorway amongst geometrically perforated decorative openings on a jali screen in the main iwan (arched doorway) of the south facade of Akbar’s Tomb in Sikandra. The tomb was completed in 1613 and is the mausoleum for the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great. [JD 6/5/2008]

On Cech’s list describing prints:
“(224-236 were taken during a sight-seeing tour the Williamsons made in North India, ending up in Delhi.)
226d. “At Akbar’s tomb (Peggy).” [printed text]
For more information see Cech’s list.

Place

S Asia; India; Near Agra; Sikandra

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Williamson, Margaret

Collector / Expedition

Date

January 1934

Collection Name

Williamson Collection

Source

Williamson, Margaret

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

The transcription of this album by Mark Turin and Sara Shneiderman was carried out with reference to Krystina Cech’s catalogue list alone. Alex Nadin has since revised their cataloguing by systematically matching their records to the images. Margaret Williamson’s handwritten captions for photographs have now been transcribed into the Inscription field, and Cech’s descriptions appear in the Description field. Correct entries for Place, Named Person and Other Nos. have also been entered by Alex Nadin. [Sudeshna Guha 29/10/2002]

Place: Sikandra, the last resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, 13 kilometres from the Agra Fort. Akbar's tomb is a vast, carved, red-ochre sandstone tomb set amidst a garden. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it. To construct a tomb in one's lifetime was a Tartary custom which the Mughals followed religiously. Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction of this pyramidal tomb in 1613. “Located centrally in the square plan, at the junction of four causeways dividing the garden into four quarters, the main tomb building has five storeys built in the shape of a truncated pyramid. It stands on a high stone platform. There are massive iwans in the centre of all sides that are as high as the tomb and have beautiful panels adorned with inlaid mosaic work. Inlaid arabesque work graces its spandrels, semi-soffits boast of paintings and turrets have chevron designs. They are crowned by white marble chhaparkhat with eight pillars. The mortuary chambers are on the ground floor. The vestibule leading to the Akbar's tomb is decorated with floresque, arabesque and calligraphic designs. The chamber itself is simple and paved with stone.” [Source: Agra: The Taj city, www.agraindia.org.uk/sikandra/tomb-of-akbar-sikandra.html, JD 6/5/2008]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Jocelyne Dudding 6/5/2008]