Between the Text and Stone: Crimean Tatar Necropolises and Mortuary Practices in Travelogues of the 19th Century

Abstract

This article aims to explore how Crimean Tatar mortuary practices and necropolises were represented and interpreted in the 19th century through the lens of travelers’ accounts. The study employs an interdisciplinary methodology, drawing on cultural anthropology, memory studies (particularly Pierre Nora’s concept of lieux de mémoire), and postcolonial theory to critically analyse these sources. The article’s scholarly novelty lies in its systematic analysis of 19th-century travel narratives that describe Crimean Tatar burial customs and sacred spaces. This approach makes it possible to reconstruct how these practices were perceived by observers shaped by colonial ideologies, while also uncovering their significance in maintaining Crimean Tatar cultural identity. The analysis reveals that these travel accounts commonly include general reflections on death, detailed descriptions of funerary and commemorative rituals, and portrayals of Tatar necropolises — especially the royal tombs in Bakhchysarai. Many authors attempt to grasp the deeper meanings of these practices and the attitudes toward death they reflect. Travelers often describe Tatar mortuary traditions as unique compared to those of other peoples on the Crimean Peninsula. Despite colonial pressures, these practices remained remarkably stable, serving as symbolic expressions of cultural resilience and resistance.