Splendid Suzanis
Suzani comes from the Persian word for “needle,” and the word refers to embroidered hangings or fabric coverings, generally a meter and a half wide (4-5′) but sometimes much more. The birthplace of suzanis…
The Tenacity of Tradition: Art From the Valley of Swat
High in the rugged mountains of northwest Pakistan lies the Valley of Swat. The river of the same name runs through it. In ancient texts, the Swat River is called Suvastu, meaning “good dwelling…
The Masterpiece Minbar
Until relatively recent times, wooden furniture—in the sense of tables and chairs was little known in traditional Islamic societies. Throughout the warm and dry lands of North Africa, the Middle East, India and Central…
Carved stucco and stained glass window
Glazed windows of this type, both plain and decorative, are found in traditional buildings in Turkey and the Arab lands. They are usually set at a high level, over unglazed windows that are…
Crafts In Islamic Architecture
Creativity in traditional Islamic crafts At the risk of appearing to be quibbling over semantics, let me first of all state simply and clearly what I understand by the terms “creativity”, “traditional”, and…
Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal Textile Art
In traditional Islamic society, textiles and dress played a significantly greater socio-cultural role than in the western world. A crucial item of furnishing in the Islamic world, the carpet served not merely as…
Design of the Ardabil Carpet (1539-1540)
The entire surface of the Ardabil carpet is covered by a single integrated design – an impressive feat in view of the great size of the carpet. The basic design is relatively simple,…
