HIST 2252

History and Religion in Islamic Art

Dr Niall Christie

Office Hours: Monday, 11:30-2:20; Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30-11:20, and by appointment

Copy of outline on the web at:

<http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST2252outline.html>

Islamic art is:

Art produced in lands under Islamic rule or

influence, regardless of the

religion of the artist.

Map Link: The Caliphate in 750:

<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/califate_750.jpg>

Map Link: The ‘Abbasid Caliphate c. 800:

<http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/arabworld/abbasidhist1.gif>

Map Link: Distribution of Muslims in the World Today:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:World_Muslim_Population_%28Pew_Forum%29.svg>

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem; exterior view; front view. 7th c AD (F)

Mosque of al-Mutawakkil, or Great Mosque; Samarra (Iraq); viewfrom the north. AD 848-852 (F)

Qur’an: Ibn al-Bawwab 1000-1. Brown ink, colour and gold on paper.17.5 x 13.5cm. (F)

Mir Afzal Tuni Album painting of a lady watching a dog drink from abowl. Iran, c. 1640. Illuminated manuscript. (F)

Aircraft with calligraphy, Gulf Air. Full side view. (F)

Lustreware; cock fight; Fatimid period (969-1171). (F)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Mantle of Roger II, Norman king of Sicily, made by Muslim artisansfor coronation. 12th c. (F)

Great Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, from the air. (Sacred Sites:<http://www.sacredsites.com/>.)

Minbar, Great Umayyad Mosque, Damascus. (Al Mashriq:<http://almashriq.hiof.no/>.)

Mihrab, Great Umayyad Mosque, Damascus. (A)

Imam’s Mosque, Isfahan. 1611-29, 1630, & 1666. View of inside court,showing two of the four iwans. (F)

Interior view of Alcazar, Seville. Dome of the throne room.Almohad Period (1145-1269). (F)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Tomb of the Samanids, Bukhara. The only surviving whole structureof the Samanid period. 907 AD. (F)

The Great Mosque at Cordoba, Umayyad Period. AD 785 -987.Interior of the sanctuary (view from east). (F)

Great Umayyad Mosque, Damascus; exterior view: Entrance. 8th cAD. (F)

Ottoman Iznik tiles. 16-17th c. (F)

Alhambra Palace, Granada (Spain). 14th c. Hall of the Two Sisters.Muqarnas ceiling plaster. (F)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Alhambra Palace, Granada (Spain). 14th c. Court of the Lions. Closerview of the lacy façade from outside, ca. 1354-91. (F)

Alhambra Palace, Granada (Spain). 14th c. Court of the Lions.Detail of wall panels. (F)

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem; ornamental detail; calligraphy detail.8th c AD. (F)

Qur’an illumination. For Sultan Sha‘ban’s madrasa. Cairo. 1376.74 x 51 cm. Ink, gold, and colour on paper. (F)

Majnun before Layla’s tent. From a Safavid copy of Jami‘s (1414-92)Haft Awrang (Seven Thrones) 1557-651. Illuminatedmanuscript. (F)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Mosaic pavement from the audience room of Khirbat al-Mafjar.Jericho. C. 740 AD. Al-Walid II? (F)

The Tree of Zaqqum in Hell. Page from the Mirajnama Herat. 1436(540 AH). (F)

Illuminated Qur’an, Manuscript written by calligrapher MohammedAli Khan Nasr al-Dawla, from Iran. In Persian language, 1901(1319 AH). (F)

Hot Worked Bottle, Egypt or Syria, 7th-8th Centuries. (MetropolitanMuseum of Art: <http://www.metmuseum.org/>.)

Lustre Bowl, 10th Century, Iraq. (Metropolitan Museum of Art:<http://www.metmuseum.org/>.)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo. 876-879 AD. Ornamental detail. Closedetail of column capitals and decorative frieze. (F)

Detail of Masonry, Umayyad Qasr (palace) at Amman. (A)

Illustration from a copy of the Majma‘ al-Tawarikh (Compendium ofHistories), ca. 1425; Timurid. Herat, Afghanistan. Colors, silver,and gilt on brownish paper; 16 7/8 x 13 1/4 in. (42.8 x 33.7 cm).Metropolitan Museum of Art: <http://www.metmuseum.org/>.

Earthenware unglazed ewer with incised décor. Iraq: early 8th c. (F)

Cartoons from Jyllands-Posten. Newspaperindex.com:<http://blog.newspaperindex.com/>.

Map Link: The Middle East in the 6th Century:

<http://www.princeton.edu/~humcomp/me6thc.gif>

Word List Timeline

Mecca Quraysh

haram Ka‘ba

Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abdal-Muttalib, of the clan of Hashim, ofthe tribe of Quraysh

Hashim Abu Talib Khadija

c. 570 Birth ofMuhammad

Word List Timeline

Mt. Hira’

sura (chapter of theQur’an)

aya (verse of theQur’an)

Qur’an/Koran ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib

610 Laylat al-Qadr(Night of Power, 27thRamadan)

611 Muhammad startspreaching in Mecca.

Word List Timeline

615 Some Muslims emigrate toAbyssinia.

619 Deaths of Abu Talib andKhadija.

620 Muhammad meets Yathribis.

622 Yathribis swear to obey/fightfor Muhammad.

Yathrib

‘Aws

Khazraj

Abu Bakr

Word List Timeline

al-Madina/Medina(the city)

Madinat al-Nabi (the city of the Prophet)

muhajirun (migrants) ansar (helpers)

umma (Muslim community)

Constitution of Medina

622 hijra (started 16thJuly).

Word List Timeline

Banu Qurayza

Banu’l-Nadir

Banu Qaynuqa‘

khandaq (ditch)

Sa‘d ibn Mu‘adh

624 Battle of Badr. Expulsionof the Banu Qaynuqa‘.

625 Battle of Uhud. Expulsionof the Banu’l-Nadir.

627 Battle of the khandaq.Execution of the Banu Qurayza.

Word List Timeline

Isma‘il/Ishmael

Ta‘if jizya

hajj ‘A’isha

628 Truce with Mecca

629 Muslim pilgrimageto Mecca

630 Muhammad takesMecca

632 Death ofMuhammad (8th June)

Word List Themes in theQur’anal-Fatiha (the Opening)

Abraham, Moses, David,Jesus and Muhammad

Hud, Salih, Shu‘ayb andLuqman

hadithSunna

khawass al-Qur’an

1. God

2. Prophets

3. Judgment Day

Word List Timeline

Khusraw Parviz

Heraclius

Ctesiphon

Abu Bakr

602 Persians attackByzantine Empire.

628 Byzantines drivePersians back to Ctesiphon.Persia descends into civilwar.

632 Death of Muhammad.Succeeded by Abu Bakr.

Word List

khalifat rasul Allah (successor to theMessenger of God)

khalifa (caliph) umma

amir al-mu’minin (commander of the faithful)

rashidun (rightly-guided ones) Umayyads

hijra ‘A’isha

Word List Timeline

ridda (apostasy)

‘Umar ibnal-Khattab

Yarmuk River

632-34 Wars of the Ridda

634 Death of Abu Bakr.Succeeded by ‘Umar

636 Battle of the YarmukRiver. Conquest of Syria/Holy Land follows.

637 Damascus taken.

Map Link: The Muslim Conquests:

<http://faculty.polytechnic.org/gzetlian/images/maps/muslimconquestsmap.gif>

Word List Timeline

Qadisiyya

Ctesiphon

Zoroastrianism

magi

gnostic Manichaeans Alexandria

637 Battle of Qadisiyya.Ctesiphon and other Persiancities taken.

639-42 Muslims take Egypt.

Word List Timeline

diwan

‘Uthman ibn‘Affan

ansar

fitna (temptation/time of trials, i.e.civil war)

641-47 Further expeditionsvs. Byzantines and Persians.

644 Death of ‘Umar.Succeeded by ‘Uthman.

651 Completion ofconquest of Persia.

655 Muslims take Cyprus.

Word List Timeline

‘Ali ibn Abi Talib

Basra

Mu‘awiya ibn AbiSufyan

Siffin

kharijis (seceders)

656 Death of ‘Uthman.‘Ali acclaimed as caliph.Battles of the Camel andSiffin. Arbitration agreed.‘Ali abandoned bykharijis.

Word List Timeline

Adhruh

al-Hasan

al-Husayn

shi‘at ‘Ali/shi‘is/Shi‘ites

658 Arbitration at Adhruh.Rejected by ‘Ali.

660 Mu‘awiya acclaimedcaliph in Jerusalem.

661 Death of ‘Ali.Al-Hasan gives up claimto caliphate.

Façade of the Palace at Ctesiphon. (Circle of Ancient IranianStudies: <http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/virtual_museum/

sasanian/Sites/ctesiphon.htm>.)

Restored facade of the Palace at Ctesiphon. (Circle of AncientIranian Studies: <http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/virtual_

museum/sasanian/Sites/ctesiphon.htm>.)

19th-century photograph of the Palace at Ctesiphon. (Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies: <http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/

virtual_museum/sasanian/Sites/ctesiphon.htm>.)

Façade of the palace at Ctesiphon in the 19th century. Sasanian. (F)

Iwan/Eyvan of the Palace at Ctesiphon. (Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies: <http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/virtual_

museum/sasanian/Sites/ctesiphon.htm>.)

Object List F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Iwan of Sasanian imperial palace. Ctesiphon, Iraq. (F)

Sasanian stucco plaques: rosette from Bishapur; plaque fromUm-Za’atir near Ctesiphon. (F, plus image of second plaquefrom Niall Christie, Personal Collection: <http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST2252slides/persianwings.jpg>.)

Sasanian merlon of stucco from Bishapur. Sasanian stucco plaquewith boar’s head from Damghan. (F)

Relief showing two ibexes flanking a vine. (Niall Christie, PersonalCollection: <http://www3.telus.net/nchristi/HIST2252slides/persianibexes.jpg>.)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Sasanian silver bowl showing King Peroz (457/9-484 CE) huntingmoufflons. Silver with partial mercury gilding. Sasanian. (F)

Silver bowl with Khusraw I Anushirvan among dignitaries. Sasanian. (F)

Sasanian Silver and Gilt Plate, 5th-7th Century. (Freer andSackler Galleries, Purchase F1964.10: <http://www.asia.si.edu/>.)

Silver jug with crossed lions. Sasanian. (F)

Chapel of the Ascension, Jerusalem. Byzantine. (F)

Sculpted pier from St Polyeuktos, Constantinople, 524-7, reused,Piazzetta, Venice. (Early Christian and Byzantine Art:<http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi4263/frameset.html>.)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Throne of Archbishop Maximianus: detail, decorative panel showingbirds and animals in a vineyard, ca. 545-553. (AICT:<http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/aict>.)

Throne of Archbishop Maximianus: detail, panel of John the Baptist,ca. 545-553. (AICT: <http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/aict>.)

Throne of Archbishop Maximianus: detail, panel showing Christ,healing the blind man, ca. 545-553. (AICT: <http://quod.lib.umich.edu/a/aict>.)

The Transfiguration, c. 565/6. Apse mosaic. St Catherine’s Monastery,Sinai. (Early Christian and Byzantine Art:<http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi4263/frameset.html>.)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Christ and the Theotokos and Child with saints and angels. 6th cent.Ivory dyptich. (Early Christian and Byzantine Art:

<http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi4263/frameset.html>.)

Solidus of Heraclius, 641, and Semissis of Heraclius, 610-613(Byzantine Coins Home Page:

<http://www.byzantinecoins.com/>.)

Bronze Peacock Lamp. Early Byzantine, probably Egypt, 6th-7thcentury. (Dumbarton Oaks Byzantine Collection:

<http://www.doaks.org/ByzImages/byzcollimages.html>.)

The Riha Paten showing the Communion of the Apostles. 577. Silver.(Early Christian and Byzantine Art:

<http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi4263/frameset.html>.)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Christ Heals Two Blind Men, folio 29r, Sinope Gospels, 6th cent.(and detail) (Early Christian and Byzantine Art: <http://www.ou.edu/class/ahi4263/frameset.html>.)