Dome of Aba Khoja Mausoleum

Kashgar, Xinjiang Province (map)

The mazar's dome measures 17m (56ft) in diameter. It was originally tiled all over, although many of the tiles are now lost. The dome is topped by a turret, which in turn is crowned by an inverted lotus dome and crescent. Similar, but smaller, turrets are placed on the four corner minarets (previous page).

The Islamic star and crescent began as an Ottoman symbol of secular rulership, adopting an ancient Middle Eastern symbol of the planet Venus with the crescent moon. Subsequently, it has been widely used to represent Islam in many contexts, as in the present example. This usage is now rejected by some Muslims, though, because of its pagan antecedents.