An archaeological project will explore the medieval coral mosques of the Maldives and their particular architecture linked to the Indian Ocean trade.
The Maldivian mosques have never been excavated and the project will provide the first opportunity to uncover their history. According to oral tradition, Maldivians converted to Islam in 1153 leading to the architecture of some Buddhist shrines being adapted. In the late 17th century, some mosques were intricately decorated. The whole
"It is a great honour to receive funding to carry out the work to gather evidence in support of a World Heritage listing."
Doctor Stéphane Pradines
podium and the walls were covered with very delicate sculptures of Gujarati Indian inspirations. The style of the sculptures is extremely uniform and demonstrates a wish from the ruler to modify the Maldivian mosques following the model of the capital Malé.
The project, led by Dr Stéphane Pradines of the Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations (ISMC), part of the Aga Khan University, will explain the chronology and the history of the coral mosques. This research will bring new scientific evidence to help assess whether the monuments can be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The project will include a field school to train the Maldivian Heritage Department in Islamic archaeology in partnership with the Maldivian defence forces.
“I was delighted to be invited to as a part of the committee of international experts mandated by UNESCO to look at the coral mosques,” said Dr Pradines. “Having visited the sites and developed a research programme, it is a great honour to receive funding to carry out the work to gather evidence in support of a World Heritage listing.”
“Receiving funding and being one of the first to excavate the coral mosques is an exciting opportunity for Dr Pradines and his team,” commented Professor Leif Stenberg, director of ISMC. “It is a testament to the import of the work of the ISMC and its academics.”
This project is sponsored by the
Max van Berchem Foundation, established in 1973 in memory of Max van Berchem (1863-1921), the founder of Arabic epigraphy. Based in Geneva, the aim of the Foundation is to promote the study of Islamic and Arabic archaeology, history, geography, art, epigraphy, religion and literature.