The Art of West and Central Asia

181. Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple 181. Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple. Nabataean Ptolemaic and Roman. c. 400 – 100 CE. Cut rock. Petra was the capital of Nabataean Kingdom, and large metropolis, until Trajan annexed the area. Traded with late Hellenistic Greeks and Early Romans The treasury has a rock-cut facade with some areas being used for tombs and others for living quarters. There were niches in the walls for burial. We have no coins or pottery found at the site. The elaborate facade reflects trade with diverse peoples such as Greeks/Romans and Near East. Sculptural decoration includes Amazons flanking Isis-Tyche (Egyptian Isis and Tyche, Greek God of Good Fortune) Lower Greek Twin Gods Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, the protector of the dead and those on journeys Rosettes are Near-Eastern design No inscription, but most likely built for Nabataean King Video https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/nabataean/v/unesco-siq-project

Treasury

Detail of Treasury

Tombs at Petra

Theatre at Petra

Great Temple at Petra

182. Buddha. Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Gandharan. c 182. Buddha. Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Gandharan. c. 400 – 800 CE (destroyed in 2001). Cut rock with plaster and polychrome paint. West Buddha, 175 Ft.

Recently destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban on iconoclast campaign 182. Buddha. Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Gandharan. c. 400 – 800 CE (destroyed in 2001). Cut rock with plaster and polychrome paint. Recently destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban on iconoclast campaign Were the largest Buddhas in the world – 175 and 120 ft. Bamiyan located between India and Central Asia on Silk Road Many on Silk Road were Buddhist Buddhism could be practiced anywhere, anytime The feed of the Buddhas were rounded so those could circumambulate are them. Buddhas had flowing robes and curly waves of hair (influenced by Hellenistic Greeks) Thought to have been originally adorned with metal, color and gems

East Buddha, 120 Ft.

183. The Kaaba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic 183. The Kaaba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic. Pre-Islamic monument; rededicated by Muhammad in 631 – 632 CE; multiple renovations. Granite masonry, covered with silk curtains and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread.

Holiest shrine in Islam 183. The Kaaba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic. Pre-Islamic monument; rededicated by Muhammad in 631 – 632 CE; multiple renovations. Granite masonry, covered with silk curtains and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread. Kaaba = cube in Arabic Holiest shrine in Islam Muslims pray 5x a day, toward Mecca, or toward qibla (marked in all mosques) All Muslims would hope to take the hajj (annual pilgrimage) to Kaaba once in life. Prayer 5x a day and hajj are pillars of Islam. Pilgrims gather at Kaaba and circumambulate (tawaf) around Kaaba; they hope to kiss and touch the black stone on the Eastern corner of the Kaaba. Thought to be constructed by Abraham (Ibrahim) and son. Black stone thought to be given to Abraham by Angel Gabriel.

View of pilgrims performing Tawaf (circumambulating) the Kaaba from the gate of Abdul Aziz Image credit: photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim, GNU version 1.2 only)

184. Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple. Lhasa, Tibet 184. Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple. Lhasa, Tibet. Yarlung Dynasty. Believed to have been brought to Tibet in 641 CE. Gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls, paint; various offerings.

This Buddha is Buddha Shakyamuni – the historical founder of Buddhism 184. Jowo Rinpoche (Jowo Shakyamuni), enshrined in the Jokhang Temple. Lhasa, Tibet. Yarlung Dynasty. Believed to have been brought to Tibet in 641 CE. Gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls, paint; various offerings. This Buddha is Buddha Shakyamuni – the historical founder of Buddhism Rinpoche = “precious one” in Tibetan language Buddha Shakyamuni sits in lotus position, left hand in mudra for meditation, and right calling earth to witness Buddha’s moment of enlightenment. Thin monks robes, jeweled crown, often decorated for special occasions Reconstructed after Cultural Revolution Considered most sacred Buddha in Tibet; serves as proxy after Buddha’s departure from the world

Jowo Rinpoche/Jowo Shakyamuni With Offerings

185. Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Palestine. Islamic, Umayyad 185. Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Palestine. Islamic, Umayyad. 691 – 692 CE, with multiple renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome.

Located in open-air by the Al-Aqsa Mosque and madrasas 185. Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem, Palestine. Islamic, Umayyad. 691 – 692 CE, with multiple renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome. Highest point in Jerusalem and one of the oldest Islamic buildings constructed Located in open-air by the Al-Aqsa Mosque and madrasas Site of the Temple Mount, 2nd Jewish temple which was destroyed by Emperor Titus in 70 CE and then was Roman temple site The center is a rock where it is believed that Abraham was prepared to sacrifice son Ismail (Isaac) Today – rock symbolizes Muhammad’s night journey with angel Gabriel to heaven to meet Moses and Christ, and to hell. Ambulatories Mosaics of vegetation, winged crowns worn by Sasanian kings Inscription contains some of Qur’an and is a confession of faith and core values of religion

Interior

K.A.C. Creswell, Sectional axonometric view through dome, ©Creswell Archive, Ashmolean Museum, Image courtesy of Fine Arts Library, Harvard College Library Mosaic Detail

186. Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh). Isfahan, Iran 186. Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh). Isfahan, Iran. Islamic, Persian: Seljuk, Il-Khanid, Timurid and Safavid Dynasties. c. 700 CE; additions and restorations in the 14th, 18th , 20th centuries. CE Stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile.

Guilt by Seljuk Turks century when their capital was Isfahan 186. Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh). Isfahan, Iran. Islamic, Persian: Seljuk, Il-Khanid, Timurid and Safavid Dynasties. c. 700 CE; additions and restorations in the 14th, 18th , 20th centuries. CE Stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile. Persian Guilt by Seljuk Turks century when their capital was Isfahan Umma – Muslim community, mosque served as a congregational mosque Urban integration with walls shared by other buildings creating a hub to connect the city 4 iwan design, iwan = rectangular space or hall with three walls Large open-air courtyard link the 4 iwans Domes on roof with hypostyle interior Qibla iwan shows direction to pray Ceramic tile decoration

Marqarnas, South Iwan Muqarnas = architectural ornamented vaulting, a large number of small squinches to produce a honeycomb-like structure

Interior, North Dome

187. Folio from a Qur’an. Arab, North Africa, or Near East. Abbasid. c 187. Folio from a Qur’an. Arab, North Africa, or Near East. Abbasid. c. eight to ninth century CE. Ink, color, and gold on parchment.

2 pages is called bifolium Contains Suras Al-’Ankabut (The Spiders) 187. Folio from a Qur’an. Arab, North Africa, or Near East. Abbasid. c. eight to ninth century CE. Ink, color, and gold on parchment. Qur’an is the sacred text of Islam and the divine revelation of the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic. Qur’an = “recitation”, originally more oral more important than written 114 suras (chapters) 2 pages is called bifolium Contains Suras Al-’Ankabut (The Spiders) Inspiration – Abdal-Mun’im Ibn Ahmad donated the Qur’an to the Great Mosque of Damascus in 911 CE Reads from right to left Gold and brown ink, palmettos, vines, no figures or animals

188. Basin (Baptistēre de St. Louis). Muhammad ibn al-Zain. c 188. Basin (Baptistēre de St. Louis). Muhammad ibn al-Zain. c. 1320 – 1340 CE. Brass inlaid with gold and silver.

Signed by Master Muhammad Ibn al-Zain 188. Basin (Baptistēre de St. Louis). Muhammad ibn al-Zain. c. 1320 – 1340 CE. Brass inlaid with gold and silver. Part of the collection of the kings of France, used to baptize Louis the XII in 1601 May be a luxury good produced in Islamic area for the monarchs of Europe Made in Syria or Egypt Signed by Master Muhammad Ibn al-Zain Scenes in an x with Sultan and those in inner circle including: falconer, cup bearer, taster, dresser (under silks) Interior 2 hunting scenes, 2 battle scenes

Front, detail

Interior, Hunting Scene

Interior, War Scene

189. Bahram Gur Fights the Karq, folio from eh Great Il-Khanid Shahnama. Islamic; Persian, Il’Khanid. c. 1330 – 1340. Ink and opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper.

Depicts a story from Shahnama (Persian Book of Kings) 189. Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama. Islamic; Persian, Il’Khanid. c. 1330 – 1340. Ink and opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper. 41.5 x 30 cm. Depicts a story from Shahnama (Persian Book of Kings) Produced by artists in the Mongol court in Persia. The Shahnama is an epic poem by Firdawsi written about 1000 CE and is still taught in Iranian schools today. The poem celebrates Persian heroes and love, life and suffering. In this image, Persian King, Bahram Gur defeats a Karg (Horned wolf) entirely alone. Symbolized civilized society beating chaos Shows influence of Chinese landscape painting

Bahram Gur Fights the Karg (Horned Wolf) (detail), from the Great Mongol Shahnama, c. 1330-40, Iran, ink, colors, gold, and silver on paper, folio 41.5 x 30 cm

190. Whole page left, and detail, right: Sultan Muhammad, The Court of Gayumars, c.1522, 47 x 32 cm, opaque watercolor, ink, gold, silver on paper, (Safavid), Tabriz, Iran.

190. Sultan Muhammad, The Court of Gayumars, c 190. Sultan Muhammad, The Court of Gayumars, c.1522, 47 x 32 cm, opaque watercolor, ink, gold, silver on paper, (Safavid), Tabriz, Iran. Illuminated manuscript of the Shahnama (Book of the Kings) Poem written prior to Islam coming to the area, features, love suffering and death Illuminated manuscript completed under Safavid rule Safavids were descendants of Sufi shaikhs who were mystical leaders from Ardabil. (They controlled much of modern Iran and Azerbaijan.) Safavids were great patrons of art and architecture Human and animals, for the most part, are forbidden in Islam, but iconoclasm (broken images) stopped at certain points in history. Calligraphic text and painting with mountain landscape, King Gayumars (first king of Persia) dressed in leopard pelts, son on left and grandson on right.

The Court of Gayumars The accompanying texts translates as: When the sun reached the lamb constellation,9 when the world became glorious, When the sun shined from the lamb constellation to rejuvenate the living beings entirely, It was then when Gayumars became the King of the World. He first built his residence in the mountains. His prosperity and his palace rose from the mountains, and he and his people wore leopard pelts. Cultivation began from him, and the garments and food were ample and fresh. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/islamic-art-late- period/a/the-court-of-gayumars

Detail, Sultan Muhammad, The Court of Gayumars, c Detail, Sultan Muhammad, The Court of Gayumars, c. 1522, 47 x 32 cm, opaque watercolor, ink, gold, silver on paper, (Safavid), Tabriz, Iran.

King Gayumars (detail)

191. The Ardabil Carpet, Unknown artist (Maqsud Kashani is named on the carpet's inscription), Persian: Safavid Dynasty, silk warps and wefts with wool pile (25 million knots, 340 per sq. inch), 1539-40 C.E., Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan or Kirman, Iran (Victoria and Albert Museum)

191. The Ardabil Carpet, Unknown artist (Maqsud Kashani is named on the carpet's inscription), Persian: Safavid Dynasty, silk warps and wefts with wool pile (25 million knots, 340 per sq. inch), 1539-40 C.E., Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan or Kirman, Iran (Victoria and Albert Museum) May be the world’s oldest, and largest, Islamic carpet Carpets were made for mosques, homes and used on walls to create warmth in winter Ardabil was home to Sufi saint, Safi al-Din Ardabili (Sufism is Islamic mysticism). He trained follows in Islam. His descendants became the Safavids. Safavid rule lasted until 1722. The carpet was made for a shrine and was a set of two. Made of wool with many knots per square. Patterns are geometric, plant scrolls, floral and central medallion. There is a calligraphic inscription at one end: Except for thy threshold, there is no refuge for me in all the world. Except for this door there is no resting place for my head. The work of the slave of the portal, Maqsud Kashani. Maqsud Kashani was most likely charged with ordering the carpet for the court.

At the Victoria and Albert Museum in London

Plan of the shrine at Ardabil, showing where the carpets were situated (permission, Victoria and Albert Museum)

Detail

Detail