The Islamic world drew upon a myriad of pre-existing styles of fortification, taking Romano-Byzantine, Indian and Chinese ideas to create a highly effective and sophisticated hybrid fortification that was both new and distinctive. This book examines early Saracen fortifications, covering their historical background, socio-political circumstances, and their role in protecting industry, trade and the frontiers of the Islamic world. From the mayyad 'castles...

An oversized visual history of Islamic civilization as reflected in its fine art spans 1,200 years and surveys a range of media, from architecture and painting to silk textiles and calligraphy, in a volume that also demonstrates the relationship between Islamic artists and their western peers.

"Documentary of stunning breadth and beauty, transports viewers over nine countries and across 1,400 years of cultural history to reveal the astonishing riches of Muslim arts, crafts, and architecture. Exploring distant locations and many rare pieces of art, the film illuminates the history of a global culture, reflecting the Islamic world as it developed over centuries and as it is today."--Container.

"An in-depth study of the history, ideology, culture and traditions of Islam, discussing the core beliefs, practices and sacred texts central to the religion, and the significance of holy sites, prayer, fasting and pilgrimage. Explores the rich cultural heritage of the Islamic world, with examples of spectacular artistic and architectural achievements show in 1000 paintings and photographs"--Cover.

Embracing over a thousand years of history and an area stretching from the Atlantic to the borders of India and China, this is an unrivalled synthesis of the arts of Islamic civilization. From the death of the Prophet Muhammad to the present day, Robert Hillenbrand traces the evolution of an extraordinary range of art forms, including architecture, calligraphy, book illumination, painting, ceramics, glassware, textiles and metalwork. New to this edition...

Presents a history of old Cairo, known to the Romans as Babylon, based on new archaeological evidence gathered between 2000 and 2006, revealing continuous occupation between the 6th century BC and the present.

Despite its extraordinary richness, Islamic architecture has rarely been studied for its conceptual and symbolic significance. In the Sense of Unity, a handsomely illustrated volume and the first extended work of its kind, Nader Ardalan and Laleh Bakhtiar examine the architecture of Persia as a manifestation of Islamic tradition and demonstrate the synthesis of traditional Persian thought and form. The most fundamental principle of Sufism, the inner,...