Islamic Art Vocabulary Koran/Qu’ran Hadj Mosque Qibla Imam Minbar Mihrab Minaret Squinches Crenellation Muezzin Moorish Kufic

Islam 570 - Mohamed born into Quraysh tribe from Mecca 610 - he received divine orders to recite in praise of Allah 651- Recitations written down into the Koran Pray 5 times a day facing Mecca, fast during Ramadan, make a pilgrimage to Mecca (for those who can), give alms “There is but one God, Allah, and Mohamed is his prophet” Began preaching a monotheistic religion-lost favor in Mecca Went to Medina and gained followers to protect the faith By 632-Islam dominated over half of Arabia Moved further, quicker than Christianity-Constantinople attacked in the 670s but not conquered Moved through Africa into Spain by 711 Stopped from invading France in 732 by Charles Martel Constantinople conquered in 1453 by the Ottoman Turks Sophisticated culture-inspired education and the arts First universities in Europe Advanced the studies of Math, Sciences, Astronomy, Philosophy, and Literature Major artistic elements: calligraphy, vegetation, animals, decorative shapes including arabesques and scroll motifs The hemispheric dome represents the celestial sphere of the sky Religious works are not illustrated with the human form

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 687-92 Umayyad Caliph Abd Al-Malik

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, 687-92

Great Mosque of Cordoba, Spain, 8-10 centuries Minaret

Abd-al-Rahman I 786-787 Enlarged in 832-848, 961, and 987 Crenellated/crenellation Moorish

Interior of the Great Mosque of Cordoba Repetition in decoration unifies the space emphasized democratic nature Borrowed marble from earlier Roman structures Becomes a Christian church in the 15th century Hypostyle prayer hall

Maqsura, Mosque of Cordoba

Dome of the Great Mosque of Cordoba, 961-976 Mihrab Qibla Squinches Emphasized the axis leading to the mihrab

Koran page, 9-10th century Kufic script Emphasized the axis leading to the mihrab Kufic script

The Ardabil Carpet, Iran, 1540 Hand knotted woollen pile, on silk warp and weft; asymmetrical knot, open to the left; 304 knots per sq. in

Malwiya Minaret of the Great Mosque, Samarra, Iraq, 848-52 Malwiya- “snail shell” 165 feet tall Ascend the spiral ramp which increases in slope as the circumference gets smaller nearer the top. Site for the call to prayer which is a chant