Photos

This is the door leading to the tomb said to be that of Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the prophet Muhammed, in Samarkand's Shah-i-Zanda - which translates as the "Timb of the Living King" (that is, Qusam), but which is now used to mean the whole complex of mausoleums surrounding this tomb. The carved door dates to 1404 CE, after Timurlane had conquered the area; I am told the inscription seen here records that date, but perhaps someone here who can read Arabic will know. Except for occasional repainting, the door has undergone very little restoration.

That last statement is more significant than it might appear. The Uzbek government recently completed a very controversial restoration of the whole complex, amid charges that the work was incorrectly done and shoddily done. Our guide expected it to start falling apart within the next five years or so.

Technical: Although the door was open, there was not much space to work with, so I had to use wide angle and shoot at an angle. I used Transform to correct most of the perspective, and cropping with perspective to make further adjustments. I also did some Levels work, a small amount of sharpening, and some Burn brushwork to cut down on the bright areas in the lower part of the picture, where it was reflecting too much of the sunlight.

Bulent was kind enough to mention my suggestion to him in his posting today, so in return I am posting this image, knowing how much he likes doors.