All Essays
Islamic Art
Often saved and passed down from generation to generation, wedding dresses are a key means of understanding fashion traditions in different cultures across time and geographies.
Nancy Micklewright
April 1, 2024
Throughout the centuries the Indian Ocean has served as a transregional network facilitating the circulation of Indian textiles to locations as far away as Southeast Asia, Central and East Asia, and East Africa.
Ayesha U. Shaikh
March 1, 2023
Stonepaste production expanded significantly in the twelfth century, as witnessed by a substantial increase in production centers; advances in established techniques and the development of new ones, especially underglaze painting; a greater sophistication in decoration; and a more marked stylistic divergence between Syrian and Iranian productions.
Martina Rugiadi
January 1, 2021
Stonepaste—also called fritware or siliceous ware—is made primarily of finely ground quartz obtained from pebbles or sand that is mixed with small amounts of liquefied glass (glass frit or glass fragments) and refined clay for greater malleability and structure.
Martina Rugiadi
January 1, 2021
The coins found at Nishapur reflect the rise and fall of dynasties in the early Islamic period.
Abdullah Ghouchani and Sheila Canby
October 1, 2019
Rather than focusing on religious law, theology, philosophy and other written proscriptions, Sufis understand and experience God by turning inward and experiencing the divine within themselves.
Courtney A. Stewart
October 1, 2018
Opulent jewels in the Fatimid period were worn by both men and women, and likely served more than just an ornamental purpose.
Courtney A. Stewart
February 1, 2018
During the medieval period, peoples of three faiths—Islam, Christianity, and Judaism—inhabited this land, undertaking sustained and intensive interactions that proved especially fruitful for the visual arts.
Julia Perratore
September 1, 2016
As [Iran] moved into another mode, artists struggled to defend, discover, and re-create their own identities both at home and abroad.
Julia Rooney and Maryam Ekhtiar
May 1, 2016
Herzfeld’s work at Samarra effectively established the field of Islamic archaeology and played a seminal role in expanding the field of Islamic studies and art history generally.
Rebecca Lindsey
May 1, 2016