The volume, lavishly illustrated with many images previously unpublished in colour, presents articles by Bernard O'Kane on a wide variety of architectural topics. These range from Morocco to India, and from the earliest periods of Islam to the present day. There is a concentration on monuments in Egypt and Syria, from analysis of borrowings between domestic and religious architecture to studies of individual buildings. Mutual influences between Iran and Egypt are also addressed.

This volume, lavishly illustrated with many images previously unpublished in colour, features articles by Bernard O'Kane on a wide range of topics in medieval Islamic art. Controversial subjects such as the Siyah Qalam album paintings are examined in detail, as well as major masterpieces of illustrated manuscripts, both Arab and Persian. Egyptian and Iranian examples of decorative arts, including woodwork, textiles, ceramics and metalwork are analysed, from large-scale minbars to ivory boxes. And epigraphic developments in Persian and Arabic, from the 10th to the 15th centuries in Egypt and Iran, are explored.

The volume, lavishly illustrated with many images previously unpublished in colour, presents articles by Bernard O'Kane on a wide variety of topics pertaining to Persian architecture in its widest sense. These range from historiography and tilework to studies of buildings of the major medieval dynasties: the Seljuqs, Ilkhanids and Timurids. In addition, formerly neglected monuments of the Chaghatai, Muzaffarid, Kartid and Jalayirid dynasties are given their due prominence, as well as Uzbek monuments in Afghanistan. And the development of Iranian mosques and one of their essential features, domes, is studied.

Showcases the best recent research on epigraphy across the medieval Islamic world Explores Islamic epigraphy from a wide range of perspectives and geographical areas, from the Maghreb to India and Central Asia and beyond Covers the period from the rise of Islam to the 15th century Details 20 case studies of inscriptions found on a wide range of objects from coins, pen cases, textiles, tiles, pottery and wall paintings to public buildings, monuments, tombs, minarets, monasteries and madrasas Beautifully illustrated with 200 colour photographs of inscriptions on buildings and objects Includes contributions from some of the leading experts in the field including Jonathan Bloom, Robert Hillenbrand, Sheila Blair, Doris Behrens-Abouseif and Carole Hillenbrand This volume offers an overview of the state of the field, and shows the importance of Islamic inscriptions for disciplines such as art history, history and literature. The chapters range from surveys to detailed exploration of individual topics, providing an insight to some of the most recent cutting-edge work on Islamic inscriptions. It focuses on the period from the rise of Islam to the fifteenth century, ranging across the Islamic world from the Maghreb to India and Central Asia, and inscriptions in Arabic, Persian and Turkish. The five sections of the book draw together some of the principal themes: 'Royal Power' investigates the role of sultanic patronage in epigraphy, and the use of inscriptions for projecting royal power. 'Piety' examines the relationship between epigraphy and religious practice. 'Epigraphic Style and Function' explores the relationship between the use of specific epigraphic styles and scripts and the function of a monument. 'Inscribed Objects' moves from monumental inscriptions to those on objects such as ceramics and pen-cases. The final section considers the interplay between inscriptions and historical sources as well as the utility of inscriptions as historical sources.

Less than ten years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the new religion of Islam arrived in Egypt with the army of Amr ibn al-As in AD 641. Amr immediately established his capital at al-Fustat, just south of modern Cairo, and there he built Africa's first mosque, one still in regular use today. Since then, governors, caliphs, sultans, amirs, beys, pashas, among others, have built mosques, madrasas, and mausoleums throughout Egypt in a changing sequence of Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk, Ottoman, and modern styles. In this fully color-illustrated, large-format volume, a leading historian of Islamic art and culture celebrates the great variety of Egypt's mosques and related religious buildings, from the early congregational mosques, through the medieval mausoleum-madrasas, to the neighborhood mosques of the Ottoman and modern periods. With outstanding architectural photography and authoritative analytical texts, this book will be valued as the finest on the subject by scholars and general readers alike.

People have been searching for meaning in Islamic art for centuries. Newly available in paperback, this book explores the iconography of Islamic art, presenting a diverse range of approaches to the subject. Despite this variety, there is an overarching theme: the linking of the interpretation of objects to textual sources. This results in a collection of in-depth studies of motifs as diverse as the peacock, trees, and the figure holding a cup and branch. In addition, new interpretations are presented of other objects, such as an Abuyyid metal basin or Mongol paintings. Textual sources on the Ka'ba or the use of marble provide a starting point for the examination of objects and their relationship to history. The architectural decoration of monuments from Egypt to India is analysed, and Arab and Safavid paintings are mined for meaning. Links with Christian elements in Sicily or Buddhist stupas are appraised. Generously illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in Islamic art, architecture and iconography. Key Features * Lavishly illustrated with colour and black and white photographs and line drawings * Features contributions from leading figures including Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom * Presents new interpretations of Islamic art * Integrates the study of objects and related texts