Browse Resources
Viewing Guide for Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World
Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom created this viewing guide for the documentary film Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World (2012), directed by Robert Gardner and produced by Michael Wolfe and Alex Kronemer.
Geometry
This brief video expores the effect of geometric lines and curves on ornamental design in Islamic art, and illlustrates how they also characterize the timeless, breathtaking architecture of the Muslim world. Related primary resources: Al-Wansharisi…
Mosques and Religious Architecture
This brief video describes the structure, architecture and decoration of mosques and other religious buildings and discusses theirvariations in Muslim societies across geography and time. Related primary sources: The Qur'an on the Qibla,…
Timeline of Medieval Spain and the Iberian Peninsula
711 North African commander Tariq ibn Ziyad leads Umayyad forces across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain. Muslim forces defeat the Visigoth army, marking the beginning of Muslim rule in Iberia. 750 - 755 Umayyad prince…
The Suleymaniye Mosque Virtual Walking Tour
Rivaling the Hagia Sophia for architectural splendor, the Süleymaniye Mosque was built in the sixteenth century CE for the sultan known as Süleyman the Magnificent, ruler of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566. The mosque, in Istanbul, is…
The American Mosque 2011 Report
Information on the more than 2,000 U.S. mosques is provided in The American Mosque 2011. Ihsan Bagby, associate professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Kentucky, has surveyed American mosques and their communities with the support of the…
