[Jam Nizam-ud-din's] Tomb at Tatta

Photograph of Jam Nizam-ud-din’s tomb at Tatta in Sindh, taken by Capt. William Robert Houghton in 1858. This image is part of an album documenting notable tombs at the necropolis at Tatta, which Houghton photographed at the request of the Government of Bombay.

Jam Nizam-ud-din (1461-c.1509) was a sultan of the Samma Dynasty who ruled the state between the 14th and 16th centuries. His mausoleum, shown at right in this view, is a square stone building decorated with bands of carved medallions, diamonds, floral designs and calligraphy. A Hindu architectural influence has been attributed to it and smaller surrounding buildings. The tomb is part of a great necropolis, reputedly the largest in the world, which lies on the plateau of the Makli hills, a limestone outcrop to the west of Tatta. The necropolis contains over a million graves, including the mausoleums of Sindh’s rulers.