The Ottoman and Early Republican Gravestones of Kemallı (Ezine)

Introduction

The old cemetery of Kemallı village, near Ezine in Çanakkale Province, preserves a small but important group of gravestones spanning the late Ottoman period and the early decades of the Turkish Republic. Together, these stones record the names, religious identities, social titles, and family connections of villagers who lived through profound historical change.

Ottoman-era stones are carved in Ottoman Turkish (Arabic script) and follow long-established Islamic funerary conventions, while later stones adopt Latin lettering but often preserve older religious phrases such as Hüvel Bâkî (“He is the Everlasting”).

What follows is a condensed but comprehensive catalogue, based strictly on deciphered inscriptions already identified, with clear notes where stones are damaged or unreadable.

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1) Kemallı Tombstone 1 (Ottoman – Male)

Type/Style: Male headstone, plain cylindrical turban; early 19th-century style.
Osmanlıca (transcription):

• هو الباقي
• مرحوم / ومغفور / الحاج / محمد / بن / عبدالله / روحچون / الفاتحة
• سنه ١٢٣٤

Modern Turkish:
Hüve’l-bâkî. Merhum ve mağfur Hacı Mehmed bin Abdullah. Ruh için el-Fâtiha. Sene 1234.

English:
He is the Everlasting. The late and forgiven Hacı Mehmed, son of Abdullah. For his soul, the Fātiha. Year 1234 (Hijri).

Names/Titles: Hacı Mehmed; father: Abdullah; title: Hacı
Date: 1234 AH = 1818–1819 AD
Notes: Standard village Ottoman formula; locally carved.

2. Tombstone 2 – Ottoman arched stone (name l2) Kemallı Tombstone 2 (Ottoman – Male)

Type/Style: Male headstone, ribbed/fluted turban; late 18th–early 19th-century style.
Osmanlıca (transcription):

• هو الباقي
• مرحوم / ومغفور / الحاج / مصطفى / بن / علي / روحچون / الفاتحة
• سنه ١٢٢٩

Modern Turkish:
Hüve’l-bâkî. Merhum ve mağfur Hacı Mustafa bin Ali. Ruh için el-Fâtiha. Sene 1229.

English:
He is the Everlasting. The late and forgiven Hacı Mustafa, son of Ali. For his soul, the Fātiha. Year 1229 (Hijri).

Names/Titles: Hacı Mustafa; father: Ali; title: Hacı
Date: 1229 AH = 1813–1814 AD

3) Kemallı Tombstone 3 (Ottoman – Male)

Type/Style: Male headstone, large rounded ribbed turban; early–mid 19th-century.
Osmanlıca (transcription):

• هو الباقي
• مرحوم / ومغفور / الحاج / علي / بن / حسن / روحچون / الفاتحة
• سنه ١٢٤٧

Modern Turkish:
Hüve’l-bâkî. Merhum ve mağfur Hacı Ali bin Hasan. Ruh için el-Fâtiha. Sene 1247.

English:
He is the Everlasting. The late and forgiven Hacı Ali, son of Hasan. For his soul, the Fātiha. Year 1247 (Hijri).

Names/Titles: Hacı Ali; father: Hasan; title: Hacı
Date: 1247 AH = 1831–1832 AD

4) Kemallı Tombstone 4 (Ottoman – Female)

Type/Style: Female headstone, arched/pointed top with radiating floral/sunburst motif; diagonal bands; mid-19th century.
Osmanlıca (transcription):

• آه من الموت
• بشر كم رحمتى حقه / جنت مكاني اولسون
• مرحومه / فاطمه / بنت / محمد
• روحچون / الفاتحه
• سنه ١٢٦٤

Modern Turkish:
Âh minel-mevt. (Rahmet-i Hakk’a…) Cennet mekânı olsun. Merhume Fatma bint Mehmed. Ruh için el-Fâtiha. Sene 1264.

English:
Alas, from death… May the mercy of God encompass her; may her place be Paradise. The late Fatma, daughter of Mehmed. For her soul, the Fātiha. Year 1264 (Hijri).

Names/Titles: Fatma; father: Mehmed
Date: 1264 AH = 1847–1848 AD

5) Kemallı Tombstone 5 (Ottoman – Male, higher status)

Type/Style: Male headstone with tall fluted turban; mid–late 19th-century.
Osmanlıca (transcription as first-pass):

• هو الباقي
• مرحوم / ومغفور / حاجي / اكرم آغا
• … (longer prayer text about being spared torment)
• سنه ١٢٧٤

Modern Turkish (first-pass meaning):
Hüve’l-bâkî. Merhum ve mağfur Hacı Ekrem Ağa. (Cehennem azabından korunma duası.) Ruh için el-Fâtiha. Sene 1274.

English (first-pass meaning):
He is the Everlasting. The late and forgiven Hacı Ekrem Ağa. (Prayer asking he be spared the fire/torment of Hell.) For his soul, the Fātiha. Year 1274 (Hijri).

Names/Titles: Hacı Ekrem Ağa (titles: Hacı, Ağa)
Date: 1274 AH = 1857–1858 AD
Notes: First appearance of Ağa in the set.

6) Kemallı Tombstone 6 (Ottoman – Female, heavily worn slab)

Type/Style: Flat grave slab with vertical panels; heavily weathered; format often used for women/younger burials; mid-19th-century.
Osmanlıca (partial transcription):

• هو الباقي
• مرحومه … بنت …
• روحچون / الفاتحه
• سنه ١٢٦… (last digit lost)

Modern Turkish:
Hüve’l-bâkî. Merhume … bint … Ruh için el-Fâtiha. Sene 126…

English:
He is the Everlasting. The late (female) … daughter of … For her soul, the Fātiha. Year 126… (Hijri).

Names/Titles: female indicated by merhume; name/father unreadable
Date: 126x AH ≈ 1844–1853 AD (final digit lost)

7) Kemallı Tombstone 7 (Republican – Latin script, occupational/family record)

Type/Style: Early Republican-period male stone; Latin script; simplified head form.
Original (Latin Turkish transcription as first-pass):
EVLÂDIM … (mentions) RENDE FABRİKA … MAKİNA ESNAFINDAN …
MURAT KABİ … MUZAFFER OĞLU … FERHAT NİMET
RUHUNA BİR FATIHA
BABASI HACI MURAT … OĞLUNDAN AHMET ÖDÜL
KABRİNİZ NUR OLSUN

Modern Turkish (normalised, as first-pass meaning):
Evladım… (Rende fabrikası / makine esnafı) … Muzaffer oğlu Ferhat Nimet… Ruhuna bir Fâtiha… Babası Hacı Murat… (yakını) Ahmet Ödül… Kabriniz nur olsun.

English (first-pass meaning):
My child… Ferhat Nimet, son of Muzaffer… associated with the woodworking-plane factory / machinery trade… A Fātiha for his soul… From his father Hacı Murat (and) Ahmet Ödül… May your grave be filled with light.

Names/Titles: Ferhat Nimet (deceased); father: Muzaffer; Hacı Murat (father/elder); Ahmet Ödül (relative)
Date: Not stated; post-1928, likely 1930s–1940s per first-pass.

8) Kemallı Tombstone 8 (Republican – Latin script, “9 ★ K” mark)

Type/Style: Republican-period male stone; Latin script; “9 ★ K” symbol.
Latin transcription (first-pass):
9 ★ K
EVVELA BANA BİR FATİHA
BÜYÜK NİMET ESNAFINDAN MEHMET KARSAKIN …
… BABASI HACI MURAT VE OĞLU AHMET
EZİNE KEMALLİ

Modern Turkish (first-pass meaning):
Evvela bana bir Fâtiha. Büyük Nimet esnafından Mehmet Karsak… Babası Hacı Murat ve oğlu Ahmet… Ezine, Kemallı.

English (first-pass meaning):
First of all, a Fātiha for me. Mehmet Karsak, of the “Büyük Nimet” trade… His father Hacı Murat and his son Ahmet… Ezine, Kemallı.

Names/Titles: Mehmet Karsak (deceased); Hacı Murat; Ahmet
Date: Not stated; likely 1930s–1940s per first-pass.

9) Kemallı Tombstone 9 (Republican – Latin script)

Type/Style: Republican-period male stone; Latin script; similar phrasing.
Latin transcription (first-pass):
EVVELA BANA BİR FATİHA
BÜYÜK NİMET ESNAFINDAN HASAN OĞLU AHMET
HER CANLI BİR GÜN ÖLÜMÜ TADACAKTIR
BU KABİRDE YATAN AHMET EFENDİ
RUHUNA FATİHA
EZİNE KEMALLİ

Modern Turkish:
Evvela bana bir Fâtiha… Hasan oğlu Ahmet… Her canlı bir gün ölümü tadacaktır… Bu kabirde yatan Ahmet Efendi… Ruhuna Fâtiha… Ezine Kemallı.

English:
First of all, a Fātiha for me… Ahmet, son of Hasan… Every living being will one day taste death… Here lies Ahmet Efendi… A Fātiha for his soul… Ezine, Kemallı.

Names/Titles: Ahmet; father: Hasan; title: Efendi
Date: Not stated; post-1928; likely 1930s–1940s per first-pass.

10) Kemallı Tombstone 10 (Republican – Latin script, moralising text)

Type/Style: Republican-period male stone; Latin script; moral instruction.
Latin transcription (first-pass):
HEVESANE MAĞRUR ŞENLİĞİN DÜNYANIN ALDANIŞI BATILDIR
TERKANİ OLACAĞINI UNUTMA
EYENİS İBRAHİM DİZDAR RUHUNA FATİHA

Modern Turkish (normalised):
Heveskâr, mağrur şenliğin dünyanın aldanışı batıldır. Terk edileceğini unutma. Ey enis İbrahim Dizdar, ruhuna Fâtiha.

English:
Your eager, proud merriment is a deception of this world and is false. Do not forget that it will be abandoned. O intimate friend, İbrahim Dizdar— a Fātiha for his soul.

Names/Titles: İbrahim Dizdar (surname)
Date: Not stated; post-1928; likely 1930s–1940s per first-pass.

11) Kemallı Tombstone 11 (Republican – Latin script, worn)

Type/Style: Male stone; crescent motif; Latin script; heavily weathered.
Latin transcription (first-pass, with uncertainty):
EVVELA BANA BİR FATİHA
HAYAT GEÇİCİDİR DÜNYA FANİDİR
… BU KABİRDE YATAN [MEHMET] [EFENDİ] …
RUHUNA FATİHA
EZİNE KEMALLİ

Modern Turkish:
Evvela bana bir Fâtiha. Hayat geçicidir, dünya fanidir… Bu kabirde yatan (Mehmet?) (Efendi?)… Ruhuna Fâtiha. Ezine Kemallı.

English:
First of all, a Fātiha for me. Life is temporary, the world is transient… Here lies (Mehmet?) (Efendi?)… A Fātiha for his soul. Ezine, Kemallı.

Names/Titles: probable Mehmet / Efendi (not fully secure)
Date: Not stated; post-1928; likely 1930s–1940s per first-pass.

12) Kemallı Tombstone 12 (Ottoman – Male, very worn)

Type/Style: Upright Ottoman headstone; arched top; very worn.
Osmanlıca (partial, first-pass):
هو الباقي
… مرحوم … بن …
روحچون الفاتحه
سنه ١٢… (last digit lost)

Modern Turkish:
Hüve’l-bâkî… Merhum… bin… Ruh için el-Fâtiha… Sene 12…

English:
He is the Everlasting… The late… son of… For his soul, the Fātiha… Year 12… (Hijri).

Names/Titles: male (merhum); name/father not recoverable from photo
Date: only “12..”; broadly late 18th / early 19th in first-pass assessment.

13) Kemallı Tombstone 13 (Republican – Hasan Yetişen)

Type/Style: Republican upright stone with crescent-star.
Latin transcription (first-pass):
HÜVE’L BÂKÎ
ULUCANLI
SEYFULLAH
YETİŞEN
OĞLU
HASAN
VEFAT
19..

Modern Turkish:
Hüve’l-bâkî. Ulucanlı Seyfullah Yetişen oğlu Hasan. Vefat: 19..

English:
He is the Everlasting. Hasan, son of Seyfullah Yetişen, of Ulucanlı. Died: 19..

Names/Titles: Hasan; father: Seyfullah; surname: Yetişen; origin: Ulucanlı
Date: “19..” (mid-20th century range suggested in first-pass)

14) Kemallı Tombstone 14 (Republican – very worn)

Type/Style: Republican-period male; Latin script; very worn.
Legible fragments (first-pass):
HÜVE’L BÂKÎ
…
VEFAT
19..

Modern Turkish / English:
Only the header (Hüve’l-bâkî / He is the Everlasting) and “Vefat 19..” are recoverable.

Names/Titles/Date: name not legible; date incomplete (19..)
Notes: Needs better raking-light photos to recover the middle name lines.

15) Kemallı Tombstone 15 (Ottoman – oldest, lichen-covered)

Type/Style: Ottoman upright stone; oldest in the set; orange lichen obscures inscription.
Osmanlıca: present but not readable from images
Modern Turkish / English: not recoverable from photos
Date: inferred in first-pass only as 18th–early 19th century based on style and carving depth
Notes: Historically important as earliest phase marker; would require raking light / conservation-safe methods for reading.

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No.	Period	Name	Father	Title	Date
1	Ottoman	Hacı Mehmed	Abdullah	Hacı	1234 AH / 1818–1819
2	Ottoman	Hacı Mustafa	Ali	Hacı	1229 AH / 1813–1814
3	Ottoman	Hacı Ali	Hasan	Hacı	1247 AH / 1831–1832
4	Ottoman	Fatma	Mehmed	—	1264 AH / 1847–1848
5	Ottoman	Hacı Ekrem	—	Hacı, Ağa	1274 AH / 1857–1858
6	Ottoman	—	—	—	126x AH / c.1844–1853
7	Republic	Ferhat Nimet	Muzaffer	—	post-1928
8	Republic	Mehmet Karsak	—	—	post-1928
9	Republic	Ahmet	Hasan	Efendi	post-1928
10	Republic	İbrahim Dizdar	—	—	post-1928
11	Republic	(Mehmet?)	—	(Efendi?)	post-1928
12	Ottoman	—	—	—	12.. AH
13	Republic	Hasan Yetişen	Seyfullah	—	19..
14	Republic	—	—	—	19..
15	Ottoman	—	—	—	18th–early 19th c.

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Summary

The Kemallı village cemetery preserves a continuous record of burial from the early 19th century through to the mid-20th century, reflecting both stability and change within a rural community.

Ottoman-period stones emphasise religious identity through formulaic language, prayer, and titles such as Hacı and Ağa, indicating piety and local status. Female burials are fewer and more restrained, in keeping with contemporary commemorative practices.

Republican-era graves adopt Latin script, surnames, and national symbols, yet retain core religious expressions, demonstrating continuity of belief despite major political and cultural change.

Together, these tombstones form a concise social history of Kemallı, recording how village life, identity, and remembrance evolved across the end of the Ottoman period and into the early Turkish Republic.

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