Muslim Art, Literature and Architecture By: Allison Kenny and Alyssa Tompkins

Poetry and Tales of Adventure The Bases of Arab Poetry – Used to chant the dangers of desert journeys, battles, or glories – Two important themes: chivalry and roman of nomadic life – Later, poetry was used to explain religious and secular themes

Poetry and Tales of Adventure Poets – Rabiah al-Adawiyya: “If I worship Thee in hope of Paradise / Exclude me from Paradise” – Firdawsi: Shah Namah, or the Book of Kings, which tells the Persian history – Omar Khayyam: scholar and astronomer, The Rubaiyat – four-line stanzas that focus on fate

Poetry and Tales of Adventure Storytelling – Stories came from Indian, Persian, Greek, Egyptian, and Turkish culture – Best-know set of stories is The Thousand and One Nights – Some of these stories were heard in Europe and became known as “Aladdin and His Magic Lamp” or “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”

Religious Buildings Domed mosques High minarets Domes and arches became symbolic for Muslim Architecture -Adopted from Byzantine buildings Wall of mosques were decorated with calligraphy - Often times verses from the Quran were written on the walls as decoration

Nonreligious Art Muslim artists painted human and animal figures Arabic scientific works often included those of the human body; the artist would lavishly illustrate Literary works showed stylized figures of humans

Work Cited architecture.com/STYLE/STY-Muslim- Persian.htm architecture.com/STYLE/STY-Muslim- Persian.htm mbyzantium.htm mbyzantium.htm 3-most-beautiful-places-on-earth.html 3-most-beautiful-places-on-earth.html tripadvisor.blogspot.com/ tripadvisor.blogspot.com/