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/>.
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>.)