Ottoman Gravestones: Beautiful Gates to the Nether Realm
Gravestones were important for the Ottomans and in time they became an important branch of stonemasonry. The beautiful symbols and signs on them were meant to be clues concerning the deceased person’s sex, age, occupation, social class etc. The Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmut II, which is easily accessible for visitors roaming around the Old City in Istanbul, has a small cemetery in its garden with beautiful examples of 19th century Ottoman tombstones.