The painting Islamic Scientists was one of the last that Syrian artist Mahmoud Hammad produced before his death in 1988. It is also perhaps his most ambitious. The work tackles a vast timeline, condensing centuries of Islamic history into a 120cm x 180cm canvas.
Yet, the painting has a marked blind spot. The canvas is populated entirely by men – with no reference to the achievements of the female thinkers and intellectuals of the Islamic Golden Age.
A new companion piece, A Wonderful World, by Iraqi artist Afifa Aleiby aims to address this oversight. Commissioned by the Barjeel Art Foundation, it will be officially unveiled during a ceremony at Sharjah’s House of Wisdom on Sunday. A Wonderful World will be displayed beside Hammad’s Islamic Scientists, which is also part of the foundation’s collection and has been displayed at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation since 2014.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2025/02/23/mahmoud-hammad-islamic-scientists-women/
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Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an Abbasid-era mosque in the ancient city of Anavarza, located in Adana’s Kozan district, Türkiye. Believed to have been constructed under the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, this mosque is considered potentially the earliest known mosque in Anatolia. Excavation efforts, led by Fatih Erhan from Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, revealed architectural elements such as bricks, a significant ash layer, and Abbasid ceramics, suggesting a layout similar to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Historical records indicate that the mosque was destroyed in 962 by the Byzantine general Nikiforos Fokas. The discovery offers valuable insights into early Islamic architecture in the region, and restoration efforts are planned to preserve its structural elements, including the mihrab and minbar.
They are to focus on Sufi poetry, art, and writings that they have been given from the collections of the Maktab Tarighat Oveyssi (MTO) Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism, a non-profit organisation with centres across six continents which initiated the museum.
A kashkūl from the collection of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO
The art produced in the Mamluk sultanate hasn’t received as much attention as many other periods and places in Islamic history, with the upcoming exhibition at the Louvre being the first in a major European museum. The exhibition will feature nearly 260 objects including textiles, manuscripts, ivories, as well as portraits of important historical figures from the period. A focus will be placed on the diversity and plurality of Mamluk society, and its connections with the rest of the world. The exhibition will run from April 30 to July 28.
https://www.louvre.fr/en/exhibitions-and-events/exhibitions/mamluks
The art of carpet weaving in Persia can be traced back to ancient times, with evidence of carpet fragments found in archaeological sites dating back to the 5th century BC. However, it was during the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century that Persian carpets reached their peak in terms of design and craftsmanship.
Origins and Early Development: Persian carpets, also known as Iranian rugs, have a rich history that dates back 2,500 years. They were initially developed by Persian nomads as a practical necessity to guard against the cold and damp floors. The earliest recorded mention of these illustrious carpets goes back to the Achaemenid Dynasty, around 500 BC. The ancient Greek historian Xenophon documented their luxuriousness and ability to enhance the opulence of Persian homes in his book “Anabasis”.
Safavid Dynasty (16th Century): The Safavid period marked a golden era for Persian carpets. These exquisite textiles were produced in court manufactories in cities like Isfahan.
Safavid carpets are famous for their elaborate colors and artistic designs. They are treasured in museums and private collections worldwide. The variety and elaborateness of Persian carpet designs set them apart from other Oriental rugs. They reflect the history of Iran, Persian culture, and its diverse peoples.
Weaving Techniques and Materials: Carpets woven in towns and regional centers like Tabriz, Kerman, Isfahan, and Kashan are characterized by specific weaving techniques and high-quality materials. Nomadic and small village weavers produce rugs with bold designs that are considered the most authentic and traditional rugs of Persia. Gabbeh rugs are well-known examples of this tradition.
Decline and Revival: Carpet weaving faced periods of decline due to political unrest and commercial pressures. The introduction of synthetic dyes in the 19th century had an impact.
However, town manufactories like those in Tabriz played a crucial role in reviving the tradition after the decline phases.
In summary, Persian carpets are not just textiles; they embody centuries of creativity, ingenuity, and cultural significance in Iran. Their intricate patterns and vibrant colors continue to captivate admirers worldwide.
After the al-Andalus discussion in class on Tuesday, I wanted to research Granada’s red palace. The photo above is of the lion fountains we discussed in class. You can see the artistic and cultural syncretism in the sculpture and palace. Alhambra used to be a system of palaces that made up a separate city on a hill overlooking Granada, almost like a Vatican City/Rome thing. The lion fountains are part of the Palace of the Lions, commissioned by Muhammed V, the Sultan of the Emirate of Granada. Construction lasted from 1362 to 1391.
The link below takes you to the entire J-store catalogue of Alhambra (make sure you’re signed into the library website).
During the Mongol lecture last week, we viewed a picture of the Khan family tree. However, there was a clear absence of daughters in the tree. I was curious about whether Genghis Khan truly didn’t have any daughters or if they were omitted from the family tree. As it turns out, he did have daughters. I found a book titled, The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire, that discusses these influential women. While I haven’t had the chance to read the book in its entirety, I briefly skimmed the introduction and learned some interesting things. During class, The Secret History of the Mongols was cited as one of the most important and influential sources about Genghis Khan and his empire. In the introduction of the book on his daughters, the author mentions through oversight or malice, the section of The Secret History that recorded the words of Genghis Khan and gave shape to the governments that followed his death had been tampered with. The sentence before the mutilated text reads, “Let us reward our female offspring.” The preceding text bestowed various rewards upon Genghis Khan’s male relatives. It is thought that the destroyed information was meant to relay similar information towards his female offspring. The author goes on to mention how the names of influential Khan women have been deliberately struck from history. The purpose of the book is to restore the missing stories of these erased women.
Abu al-Faraj Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn al-Nadim, also known simply as Ibn al-Nadim (935-95 AD), was an Arab author, bookseller, and calligrapher. He lived in Baghdad, and briefly in Mosul, during the middle Abbasid era and, like his father, made a living from copying manuscripts for sale. Al-Fihrist, sometimes also referred to as Kitab al-fihrist (The catalog), is an index of all books written at the time in Arabic, by both Arab and non-Arab authors. It contains ten discourses. The subjects they cover are the scriptures holy to Muslims, Jews, and Christians, the hadith, history, law, biography, poetry, magic, and alchemy. The author often mentions the size of a book and the number of pages so copyists would not cheat buyers by creating shorter versions. He refers often to copies made by famous calligraphers, bibliophiles, and other libraries and describes an auction and the trade in books. The Catalog is available to the public via the Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021666186
Between June and December 1522, the Ottoman military besieged the island of Rhodes in an attempt to take dispel the Knights of Rhodes from the island, and to consolidate their control of the Mediterranean. After months of fighting, Rhodes eventually accepted Suleiman’s terms of surrender and the remaining Knights were allowed to leave the island.
https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/06/26/on-this-day-siege-of-rhodes-1522/
After the Hagia Sophia was converted back into a mosque in 2020, the entrance fees that had been charged when it was functioning as a museum were removed. The number of tourists that visited the building increased dramatically as a result, to the point where it was too crowded to properly lead tours, and there was a risk of damage to the historic site.
In February, a second entrance was opened specifically for tourists, who once again are required to pay an entry fee, and are prohibited from visiting certain parts of the building, including the main floor under the dome.
Trying to juggle the Hagia Sophia’s dual roles as a heritage tourism site and a functioning place of worship has led to a number of issues and conflicts, making it clear that it’s impossible to fulfill both roles perfectly at the same time.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/istanbul-hagia-sophia-entry-rules