Archeology Site of the Month - August 2009

The Taj Mahal

The Emperor Shah Jahan built the iconic mausoleum, Taj Mahal, for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It was constructed between 1632-1653 in Agra, India.

The Emperor described his creation this way:

"The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made
To display thereby the Creator's Glory."

And those words sum up the reason why we've chosen the Taj as this months UNESCO* World Heritage Site. Although you've seen it a hundred times before once you re-visit the images it immediately sweeps you away again. It is one of the most iconic and beautiful buildings in the world.

There are actually several structures that make up the complex known as Taj Mahal. The grounds hold gardens and a beautiful reflecting pool. The architecture of the iconic mausoleum incorporates bits of various cultures such as Persian and Indian. The walls are decorated with calligraphic versus from the Qu'ran. Marble, jewels, gold, bronze, herringbone, jade and more, were imported from across the globe and all used in the construction of the building, cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired pieces of the world's heritage." The sheer numbers of artisans, craftsman, laborers, elephants, construction materials used in the construction are astounding. For a detailed description of the architecture, please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_mahal

Interesting visitor's note: The Taj Mahal is only open during daylight hours, except during the full moon on which it is open to visitors for night viewing.

The grounds interestingly enough also hold the mausoleums for the Emperors other wives and a large one for his favorite servant.

Inlaid marble detail

Inside the Taj

The Taj at sunset

UNESCO* = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization