Pillar Tomb, Takwa
The C17th pillar tomb at Takwa on Manda Island, in the Lamu archipelago. The main part of the tomb consists of a high-walled unroofed rectangle approximately 3.7 x 2.7m. The pillar is situated at the eastern end and rises 6.7m above its basal course, with a semi-circular buttress at the base. It is approximately circular in section and untapered, averaging about 81cm in diameter, and tilts slightly towards the north and east . On the north face of the tomb wall an inscribed block calls to Allah, Mohammed and the first four caliphs: Abu Bakr, 'Umar', 'Uthman' and 'Ali'. At the bottom of the inscription is the Arabic date 1094; the year 1094 began on 31 December 1682 in the Christian calendar, hence the inscription dates from 1683. The tomb is still considered sacred to the people of Shela, some of whom are believed to have come from Takwa, and who visit the tomb twice a year to pray for rain.
High-res scan of a Kodak large-format print. Original image taken on Kodak Gold 100 film on 12 January 2001.
Reference:
Wilson, T. H. 1979. Takwa: an ancient Swahili settlement of the Lamu archipelago. Kenya Past and Present. 10, 6 - 16.
Pillar Tomb, Takwa
The C17th pillar tomb at Takwa on Manda Island, in the Lamu archipelago. The main part of the tomb consists of a high-walled unroofed rectangle approximately 3.7 x 2.7m. The pillar is situated at the eastern end and rises 6.7m above its basal course, with a semi-circular buttress at the base. It is approximately circular in section and untapered, averaging about 81cm in diameter, and tilts slightly towards the north and east . On the north face of the tomb wall an inscribed block calls to Allah, Mohammed and the first four caliphs: Abu Bakr, 'Umar', 'Uthman' and 'Ali'. At the bottom of the inscription is the Arabic date 1094; the year 1094 began on 31 December 1682 in the Christian calendar, hence the inscription dates from 1683. The tomb is still considered sacred to the people of Shela, some of whom are believed to have come from Takwa, and who visit the tomb twice a year to pray for rain.
High-res scan of a Kodak large-format print. Original image taken on Kodak Gold 100 film on 12 January 2001.
Reference:
Wilson, T. H. 1979. Takwa: an ancient Swahili settlement of the Lamu archipelago. Kenya Past and Present. 10, 6 - 16.