Middle Eastern Architecture, Literature, + Art

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

Sufism influenced a lot of the

poetry in the Middle East.

Muslims admired poetry more than

any other form of literature.

A four-line rhyming poem known as a

quatrain was made popular by the
Persian poet Omar Khayyam, who

lived from 1048 to 1131.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is
considered a masterpiece of world

literature.

I
Wake! For the Sun, who scatter'd into
flight
The Stars before him from the Field of
Night,
Drives Night along with them from
Heav'n, and strikes
The Sultan's Turret with a Shaft of Light.

II
Before the phantom of False morning
died,
Methought a Voice within the Tavern
cried,
"When all the Temple is prepared within,
Why nods the drowsy Worshipper
outside?"

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

Poems and short stories were the form of literature most often read by Muslims.

The best-known popular work of literature is The Thousand and One Nights, a

collection of entertaining stories from India, Persia, and Arabia.

How many of these
characters have you
heard of?

They are all characters
from The Thousand and
One Nights by
Scheherazade.

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

A kaftan (or caftan) is a robe or tunic. The kaftan usually reaches to the
ankles, with long sleeves.

It can be made of wool, cashmere, silk, or cotton, and may be worn with
a sash. The kaftan is of ancient Mesopotamian origin. The kaftan has
acquired different styles, purposes, and names depending on the
culture. The kaftan has served as a symbol of royalty in some cultures
and as a symbol of marriage in others during some parts of history.

Islamic art features cultural influences from across many empires.

Tile and Stained Glass

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

Mihrab (Arabic: maḥārīb) is a semicircular niche in
the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla.

The qibla faces the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and
hence the direction that Muslims should face when
praying. The wall in which a mihrab appears is thus the
"qibla wall."

Muslims face the Kaaba when
performing salat from
anywhere in the world.

Ceramic plates

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

There are two main types of written Arabic:

1.Classical Arabic - the language of the Qur'an and

classical literature. It differs from Modern Standard

Arabic mainly in style and vocabulary.

2.Modern Standard Arabic - the universal

language of the Arabic-speaking world which is

understood by all Arabic speakers. It is the

language of the vast majority of written material

and of formal TV shows, lectures, etc.

Each Arabic speaking country or region also has its own

variety of colloquial spoken Arabic.

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters, and each of the letters may

have up to four different forms.

Unlike the Roman alphabet used for English and most European
languages Arabic writing goes from right to left.

Another significant difference is that the Arabic script has been used
much more extensively for decoration and as a means of artistic
expression.

Several letters in the Arabic alphabet share the same shape, and are
differentiated only by the number and placement of dots on the
letters.

Of the basic 18 shapes: 2 are used for three letters, 6 are used for
two letters, and the remaining 10 are used for one letter each.

Middle Eastern Literature & Art

Calligraphy and Arabesque

Muslim artists initially created calligraphy to beautify the Qur’an.
Calligraphy comes from two Greek words: kallos (beauty) and graph (writing).
Calligraphy is a visual art design of lettering.

The intricate floral and geometric patterns of arabesque consist of
flowers, leaves, vines, and geometric shapes. The patterns often repeat in
a seemingly endless way, representing the Muslim belief in the infinity of
God’s creation. Arabesque emerged partly in response to an interpretation
of the Qur’an. That same interpretation discouraged the depiction of
people and animals in art.

.رظﺎﻧﻟا نﯾﻋ ﻲﻓ وھ لﺎﻣﺟﻟا

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Multiple Choice

What Islamic religious idea is reflected in Muslim Art?

• Geometric patterns are often observed

• Human Figures should not be depicted in Art

• It's ok to have pictures of you family around the house during Ramadan

• Geometric patterns & No Humans depicted in Art

Multiple Select

Islamic art includes many ...

• patterns

• colors

• people

• religious figures

Multiple Choice

the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group of people to another

• Sharia

• religion

• institutions

• cultural diffusion

Middle Eastern Architecture

What do these buildings have

in common?

In Islamic civilization, calligraphy and
arabesque appear in architecture, not
just in books.

“icing cake” building of San’a

Shaykh Lutf Allah Mosque

Middle Eastern Architecture

Middle Eastern Architecture

The Great Mosque of Cordoba

built in Spain, today is a

Catholic cathedral

Middle Eastern Architecture

The Hagia Sophia--built by the Byzantines as a Christian

cathedral in the 500s

It was converted into a mosque in 1453.

Multiple Choice

Which of these describes the Middle East?

• All of the region is modern, wealthy, and generally at peace.

• The region does not have any valuable natural resources.

• The region has made many contributions to society, such as the invention of writing and Islamic art.

• All countries of the region are usually at war over religion.

Middle Eastern Architecture

The Blue Mosque
(Sultan Ahmet Mosque)

The most noteworthy feature of the Sultanahmet Mosque are the six minarets. Most minarets
have one, two, or four minarets. The sultan was criticized for having six built. When the
mosque was being built, the sultan had ordered gold--altin--minarets built. The arabic word
for six is alti.

Multiple Select

Which one of these would not be a Muslim's work of art? Click all that apply.

• Portrait of Muhammad the prophet.

• Painting of a lion.

• A complex pattern drawing.

• Calligraphy