Abstract:

In this paper, I would like to present and discuss the transformations of the practice of instituting tombstones in Jewish graveyards, the inscriptions on them, the language they use the message they send and the symbols they choose to associate the deceased (or rather the family that requested them) with. I will make an effort to draw a line between the different Jewish cemeteries and to trace practices and developments of the 20th century, stressing upon the similarities and differences existing. Although, in the territory of Uzbekistan one can find many cemeteries that were constructed for different confessions and ethnic groups, in this paper I’ll limit myself to deal only with the Jewish ones. Although choosing two different Jewish groups, the local Bukharan and the Ashkenazi, that were living in the same urban and cultural environment, my working assumption would be that due to substantial cultural differences and practices those should also reflect on the burial practices. Having said that, and knowing that over the 20th century, Colonial, Soviet and Post-Soviet eras each of which had grave influences over the popular urban culture, bringing to Russification, Sovietization, and finely to de-Colonization all had to leave their unique marks over the urban cemeteries as well.

Although limited in scope, this test case could contribute to better understanding cultural and social influences of different Colonization and post-Colonization eras in Central Asia.