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- The Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques Architecture is displaying the tiles alongside other historical artifacts from Islam’s two holiest sites
RIYADH: An exhibition in Makkah is displaying six historic tiles from the 19th century which once adorned the halls of the Grand Mosque.
These marble tiles, which date back to 1881 CE (1299 AH), feature elegant Arabic calligraphy and exceptional craftsmanship.
Their inscriptions bear the names of Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, and four of the Prophet’s companions: Abu Bakr Al-Siddique, Omar bin Al-Khattab, Othman bin Affan and Ali bin Abi Talib.
The Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques Architecture is displaying the tiles alongside other historical artifacts from Islam’s two holiest sites, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
These artifacts once adorned the corridors of the Holy Mosque in Makkah and have since been carefully preserved as part of efforts to maintain the integrity of historic items.
The exhibition has been visited by researchers and others interested in the history of Islamic architecture, according to the SPA.
Other items on display include rare original collections of manuscripts and architectural elements from the history of the two holy mosques.
The 1,200 sq. meter exhibition takes visitors through the various stages of development, from the era of the Prophet Muhammed through successive Islamic periods to the modern Saudi era.
It shows how various reconstruction and expansion projects have made accommodations for the growing number of pilgrims and Umrah performers over the years, which exceeded 1.7 million during the peak Hajj season this year.
The preservation of the tiles shows the interest of the Saudi authorities to preserve the historical heritage of Islam and make it available to successive generations through exhibitions and dedicated visitor areas.