The Problem of Reference in the Signitures of Tombstones’ Inscription: A Sample of Two Tombstones in the Graveyard of Samsun-Çarşamba Rıdvan Pasha Mosque

Abstract

Tombstones are indispensable materials for investigations in the history of art in terms of their or n aments and other characteristics. One of the elements, which is of artistic importance by its distinctive place on the tombstones is inscription. While the insciriptions on the tombstones were used to be written by the outstanding calligraphers in a given period, they rarely bare the signitures of their calligraphers. Interestingly enough, though different inscriptions were written by the same calligrapher, they may bare different signitures. This paper aims at proving the claim that two tombstones’ inscriptions in the graveyard of Rıdvan Paşa Mosque in Çarşamba were written by the same calligrapher