1959-62 Survey

Said to be the tomb of Balban. Located approximately 700 m south-southeast of Quṭb Mīnār. Grid ref. F-13

This tomb originally had three rooms; the main room in the center has entrances on all four sides of its square plan. The rooms to the east and west of the main room are rectangular in plan and longer on the north-south axis; these rooms are currently in ruins, with the west room completely collapsed. The dome of the main room no longer exists, but a squinch arch can still be seen in one corner. The features of this squinch has posed a puzzle in the history of Islamic architecture in Delhi. Traces of stucco can be seen on the surface of the building; in particular, a fragment of a stucco design remains near the main entrance to the south. Whether these elements are from the original structure is a debatable and crucial question. Almost all scholars to date have believed this to be the tomb of Ghayāth al-Dīn Balban, sultan of the late Slave Dynasty, but there is no actual evidence backing this assumption.

Approximately 50 m south of this tomb lies a building with a square plan, a pyramidal roof, and entrances on all sides except the east. Adjoined to the east of this building are traces of a wall and other structures. The building is categorized as a tomb by ASI, but there are no tombstones now, and it may actually have been a gate with a surrounding wall. Similarities in structure and style can be seen with the tomb believed to be Balban's; perhaps these structures were built during the same period in relation to each other. Period I.

バルバン(Balban)の墓と伝えられており,クトゥブ=ミーナールの南南東約700メートルにある。附図.F-13

この墓は,本来,三つの部屋からなっており,中央の,四角平面をもつ主室は,四方に入口を開いている。東西の側室は,南北に長い長方形であるが,現在では廃墟と化し,西の側室は,まったくくずれおちてしまっている。主室のドームはいまはないが,内部の一隅にはスクィンチアーチがのこっていて,その特徴は,デリーのイスラーム建築史のうえで,問題とされてきたものである。建物の表面を漆喰で仕上げた痕跡が,ところどころにうかがわれ,とくに,南正面入口の附近には,漆喰文様の断片がのこっている。これらのものが,本来のものかどうかは,なお疑わしいが,注目されるところである。これまでの研究者のほとんどすべてが,この建物を,奴隷王朝後期のスルターン=ガヤースッディーン=バルバンの墓と信じて疑わないが,実は,それを裏づける確証はないのである。

このバルバンの墓とされる建物の約50メートル南方に,四角平面で,ピラミッド型の屋根をもち,東を除く三方に入口を開く建物がのこっている。この建物の東につづいて,壁やその他の構築物の痕跡がみとめられる。ASIは,この建物を,墓としているが,現在,墓石はなく,おそらくは,囲壁をもった門であったかもしれない。この建物は,その北方にある,バルバンの墓といわれている建物と,構造・様式上,類似点をもっており,おそらくは,同時代に,関連をもって建てられたものかもしれない。第Ⅰ期。

東研.Ⅸ-26,135;ASI.Ⅲ-147,148

2015-18 Survey

This is preserved by ASI, but it is not maintained very well and was found among overgrown weeds. It was quite buried in 1959-62, so it is clear that it has since been dug out and restored. The side room on the west still has a red sandstone cenotaph with an inscription. On the north exterior of the center room, there are partial remains of stucco reliefs and tiles. The upper part of the structure has been repaired with filler material to prevent stones from falling out. The south gate has been restored and repaired, with the building material left exposed except for the facade stonework. On the west side, there are sporadic traces of numerous dwellings.

[現状]ASIによって保存されているが、草むらの中にあり、手入れは行き届いていない。1959-62年にはかなり地中に埋れ、その後、発掘・整備されたことが明らかである。西側側室には、銘文のある赤砂岩の墓石が残り、中央墓室北外側には一部スタッコ浮彫やタイルが残り、全体の上部は石材の剥落を抑えるために充填材で補修がなされる。南門に関しては復元修理がなされたが、南門ファサードの切石材以外は、躯体内部を露呈させる形の修理である。西側には数多くの住居跡が不規則に並ぶ。

[平面] 16m四方に達する大規模な中央墓室を中心に、東西両側に南北に長い側室が付く3室構成で、南を正面とする。Monuments of Delhiによると、墓室内径は11.6m、東の付室は奥行7.5m間口6m。中央墓室は、四方に開口し、大ドームをいただき、初めて迫持アーチ技法が完成したと言われる。3室の南側には東西36m南北55mの広大な庭があり、南辺中央にドームをいただく門がある

[内観]スクインチ・アーチ方式を採用するが、隅のアーチと開口部アーチにコの字型アーチ・スパンドレルをもうけ、さらに大きな8つのアーチで囲む。スクインチ・アーチ内は一曲面で隅に持送を挿入する。両側室は南に向かってアーチをあけ、トンネル・ヴォールトのイーワーンだったかもしれない。

(Paragraphs 2 and 3 of 2015-18 Survey Description translated using Google Translate)

[Plan] It consists of three chambers, with a large central tomb chamber measuring 16m square, and long side chambers on both the east and west sides, with the south facing the front. According to Monuments of Delhi, the diameter of the tomb chamber is 11.6m, and the eastern ancillary chamber is 7.5m deep and 6m wide. The central tomb chamber has openings on all four sides and is topped by a large dome, and it is said that the technique of abutment arches was perfected for the first time. To the south of the three rooms is a vast garden measuring 36m east to west and 55m north to south, with a domed gate in the center of the southern side.

[Interior] The building uses the squinch arch system, but the corner arches and opening arches have U-shaped spandrels, and are surrounded by eight larger arches. The inside of the squinch arch is curved, with corbels inserted at the corners. Both side rooms have arches facing south, which may have been tunnel vault iwans.

Map Reference: Grid ref. F-13

IOC Reference: T003,IX-26,135

ASI Reference: Ⅲ-147,148

Archived IOC Site Record: https://perma.cc/Z9YF-UDL7

Mission Credit Line : Mission for Indian History and Archaeology, University of Tokyo, in 1959-60 , 1961-62: the Resurvey of the Delhi Monuments, Research and Information Center for Asian Studies, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo in 2015-18.