FA 210 Art of the World Islamic architecture is extraordinary. Here are key examples of the distinct styles and locations.

1. What
is
Islam?
• Monotheis0c
religion,
based
on
Abraham
(in
the
lineage
of
Judeo-­‐Chris0an
religions).
Believers
follow
the
Qur’an
–
believed
to
be
the
verba0m
word
of
God
(Allah)
–
and
the
teachings
of
Muhammad
(c.
570
AD
–
June
8,
632
AD),
considered
to
be
the
last
prophet
of
God.
The
example
of
Muhammad’s
life,
including
his
words,
deeds,
habits
and
prac0ces,
make
up
“sunnah”,
and
is
emulated
by
Muslims.

2. Five
pillars
of
Islam
• Faith
–
no
God
but
Allah
• Prayer
–
Muslims
pray
5
0mes/day:
direct
link
between
worshipper
and
God.
• Alms-­‐giving
–
caring
for
the
needy;
possessions
are
purified
by
giving
away
some.
• Fas0ng
–
during
month
of
Ramadan,
Muslims
fast
from
dawn
to
sundown,
to
cut
oneself
off
from
worldly
comforts
and
thus
purify
the
spirit.
• Pilgrimage
(Hajj)
to
Mecca
–
once
in
a
life0me
obliga0on
for
those
able
to
do
it.
Pilgrims
pray
at
the
Haram
Mosque
in
Mecca
in
which
the
Kaaba
(Abraham’s
temple)
is
located.

3. Mecca

4. Cliff
notes:
History
of
Islam
(leaving
out
lots
of
stuff)
• Muhammad
(ca.
570
–
632
AD)
received
his
first
revela0on
from
Angel
Gabriel
around
610
AD.
Forced
to
leave
Mecca
in
622
–
date
marking
the
beginning
of
Islamic
calendar.
• In
630
AD
he
took
Mecca
with
10,000
followers,
but
died
in
632
AD.
Most
of
Arabian
peninsula
had
converted
to
Islam
by
then
and
it
spread
rapidly
through
Central
and
East
Asia,
Central
Europe
and
North
Africa.
• Succession
was
contested:
Abu
Bakr
al-­‐Siddeeq
–
trusted
friend;
Ali
ibn
Abi
Talib,
cousin
and
son-­‐in-­‐law.
Abu
served
as
the
first
Caliph;
Ali
the
4th,
but
ul0mately
divisions
in
Islam
arose:
Sunnis
and
Shias.

5. More
about
Islam
• Sunni
(word
comes
from
“Sunnah”)
represent
between
75
–
90%
of
Muslims
worldwide;
emphasizes
primacy
of
Islamic
law
–
so
anyone
can
be
a
caliph.
Shia
(“party
of
Ali”)
believe
only
descendants
of
Ali
can
be
leaders.
Shia
make
up
about
10%
of
the
Islamic
popula0on
worldwide;
they
can
be
discriminated
against
as
they
are
a
minority.
Shia
have
a
separate
set
of
hadith,
or
wrijen
quotes
of
Muhammad.
There
are
many
different
groups
within
Islam,
as
there
are
denomina0ons
of
Chris0ans.
• Most
asce0c/spiritual
group
may
be
the
Sufi,
of
the
Melevi
order,
found
in
Central
Asia.
hjps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Cf-­‐
ZxDfZA
• Islam
was
historically
renowned
for
being
the
religion
of
tolerance,
allowing
all
religions
to
prac0ce
freely
within
its
territories
(remember
Palmyra?)

6. • Major
empires
include:
Umayyad
(661
–
750
AD)Abbasid
(750
–
1258
AD),
Mongol
(Shia)/
Timurid
(Sunni)
Empires
(1215
–
1227;
1370
–
1507);
Mamluks
(1250
–
1517),
Mughals
(1526
–
1858)
and
Ojoman
(1534
-­‐
1914).
These
cultures
produced
some
of
the
most
beau0ful
art
ever
seen.

7. Islamic
Architecture

8. Dome
of
the
Rock:
687
–
691
AD
• Oldest
extant
Islamic
building:
• Shape
of
Byzan0ne
martyrium;
excellent
example
of
Byzan0ne
arts.
• Exterior
0les
added
in
1500s
• Spot
from
which
Muhammad
ascended
to
Heaven
for
one
night
in
621
AD

11. Great
Mosque
of
Aleppo,Syria
(also
called
Umayyad
Mosque
of
Aleppo)
• Ca.
706
AD,
rebuilt
1090
• First
mosque
w/Islam-­‐specific
design,
based
on
Muhammad’s
own
house
(and
first
mosque)
Minbar
(pulpit)
and
Mihrab
(prayer
niche
facing
Mecca)
• Umayyad
caliphate
instrumental
in
crea0on
of
indigenous,
unique
manifesta0ons
of
Islamic
art.

12. Ablu0on
fountains
Unique
Minaret
design:
elements
of
Gothic
Architecture
and
local
forms

13. 2013
Syrian
Civil
War

15. Great
mosque
of
Samarra,
Iraq
847
AD
Abbasid
dynasty;
Sunni
mosque

16. Super
awesome
minaret!!

17. Mamluk
Period
Complex
of
Qa’itbay,
Cairo,
1472
-­‐
74

18. Mongol
Empire
(Central
Asia)
• Ini0ally,
Mongols
brought
devasta0on;
later,
remarkable
cultural
influences
from
China
during
Ilkhanid
Period
(1256
–
1353).
Iran,
Ilkhanid
period
,
1206
-­‐
1353

19. Tomb
of
Uljaytu,
1307-­‐13

20. Timurid
Dynasty
(ca.
1370
–
1507)
Central
Asia,
Iran,
Iraq,
Russia,
India
Gur-­‐I
Amir,
Samarkand
(Uzbekistan)
“The
Great
Prince”
Mausoleum,
1404

22. Mughal
Dynasty,
India,Afghanistan,
1526
-­‐
1858
Architecture
a
synthesis
of
Timurid
opulence
and
detail,
mixed
with
indigenous
Hindu
and
Muslim
Indian
extravagance.

23. Taj
Mahal
1631
-­‐
1653

26. Ojoman
Empire
CA.
1300
–
1914
AD

27. “Blue
Mosque”
Sultanahmet
Mosque,
Istanbul,
1609
-­‐
1616

29. Basic
forms
of
ornamenta0on
in
Islamic
Art:

30. Basic
forms
of
ornamenta0on
in
Islamic
Art:
• Geometry

31. Basic
forms
of
ornamenta0on
in
Islamic
Art:
• Geometry
• Calligraphy

32. Basic
forms
of
ornamenta0on
in
Islamic
Art:
• Geometry
• Calligraphy
• Vegetal
(Arabesque)

33. Homework:
watch
this
documentary
and
write
a
page
about
5
important
things
you
learned.
• hjps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=okYc6qE9nms
• Paradise
Found: