18 Khodja Akhmad mausoleum
The Kohdja Akhmad mausoleum (1350) is the second oldest mausoleum in the Sha-i-zinda. It's situated at the south end closing the street. The facade is richly decorated in blue and white.
There are two types of decoration: The first type bestaat has got a smooth surface with star patterns. A second has got deeply carved inscriptions lying high above the background ang glazed tiles with geometric patterns.
One of the inscirptions says: "may god lend in their life, that this be a tomb of life, the garden of fortune, of
Khwaja Ahmad, who had no equal in beauty". The inscription also contains the name of the artisan responsible for the tile execution, Faqir 'Ali.
The inscriptions include a dual use of languages with texts written in Arabic and Persian. A Persian inscription reads: “if you were the shah of Iraq or the king of China, your end would still be under the ground. Why do you attach your heart to this passing world if the consequence of every deed be such.”
This points to a major theme in the inscriptions of the buildings in Shah-i Zinda, which is the constant reminder in life about death and the afterlife. One is reminded not to attach too much of the ego to aspects of success in this world or to the accumulation of wealth.
