CHAPTER 10—THE ISLAMIC WORLD
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. When Islam arose, who were peripheral to the Byzantine and Persian empires?
a.
Egyptians
b.
Arabs
c.
Ottoman Turks
d.
Saracens
2. Critical of the polytheistic religion of his fellow Arabs, Muhammad had all the idols destroyed,
however he preserved the Kaaba. Which of the following supports the reason for this preservation?
a.
It is the Islamic world’s symbolic center.
b.
It is the home of Muhammad.
c.
It the site of Muhammad ascendancy into Paradise.
d.
It is the location of Muhammad’s divine inspiration.
3. What was the Hegira?
a.
the Islamic conquest of Egypt
b.
Muhammad’s flight from Mecca
c.
Muhammad’s vision of Gabriel
d.
the rock in the mosque at Mecca
4. How is interior architectural space defined in the Muslim world?
a.
by having no interior walls
b.
by rearranging the courtyard fountains
c.
by moving the walls around to increase or decrease the space
d.
by rearranging the carpets and cushions
5. It is said Muslims worship Allah directly without a hierarchy of clergy acting as intermediaries.
However during communal gatherings, the imam would stand on a stepped pulpit or ____.
a.
maqsura
b.
mihrab
c.
qibla
d.
minbar
6. The coming of a new religion to Jerusalem, a city sacred to both Jews and Christians, is marked by a
monument known as the ____.
a.
Rock of Ages
b.
Kaaba
c.
Dome of the Rock
d.
Rock of Muhammad
7. The vault in the Hall of the Two Sisters is meant to symbolize ____.
a.
the dome of heaven
b.
Paradise
c.
the fusion of Islamic and Byzantine motifs
d.
Allah’s blessing on the Nasrids
8. Sinan was born a Christian, converted to Islam, then trained in engineering and the art of building
while still in the army. He was also court architect to Suleyman the Magnificent. Which of the
following was his greatest achievement?
a.
Great Mosque, Isfahan
b.
Mosque complex of Sultan Hasan
c.
Mosque of Selim II
d.
Madrasa Imami, Isfahan
9. The Mshatta Palace, never completed, has a rich ornamental frieze with animal figures appearing on
some of the triangles. However no animal figures appear on the façade that correspond to the mosque’s
qibla wall. Why is the animal figuration absent from this section of the frieze?
a.
The representation of fauna on palace walls is minimal.
b.
The representation of fauna on desert palace walls is minimal.
c.
The palace is unfinished, possibly the frieze was yet to be completed.
d.
The representation of fauna in a sacred place is prohibited.
10. The mihrab is a semicircular niche set in the qibla wall; its specific purpose is still being debated.
Some scholars have suggested the mihrab is referencing Muhammad. Which of the following best
supports this suggestion?
a.
It honored the place Muhammad stood when leading communal worship.
b.
It honored the place Muhammad received divine inspiration.
c.
It honored the place Muhammad ascended into Paradise.
d.
It honored the place Muhammad wrote his revelations.
11. The structural foundation of the Great Mosque of Damascus owes much to the architecture of the
Greco-Roman East. Which structural feature accounts for this?
a.
Roman forum
b.
Roman precinct walls
c.
Roman bath
d.
Roman arch
12. Which of the following is built over the spot from which Muhammad is believed to have ascended to
heaven?
a.
Great Mosque, Damascus
b.
Dome of the Rock
c.
Dome of Masjid-i Shah
d.
Great Mosque, Kairouan
13. The art of calligraphy, ornamental writing, was used to reproduce the sacred words of the Koran in as
beautiful a script as possible. Which of the following would never appear in ornamental writing of the
Koran?
a.
stylized human and floral forms
b.
stylized floral forms
c.
stylized vegetal forms
d.
stylized animal forms
14. The unification of text and ornament found in the design of Islamic Korans is also found in the
European manuscripts of the ____.
a.
Hiberno-Saxons
b.
Carolingians
c.
Ottonians
d.
Early Christian
15. In the 7th century, the capital of Islam had been transferred from Mecca to Damascus by the ____.
a.
Ottoman Turks
b.
Mamluks
c.
Arabs
d.
Umayyads
16. The positioning of all mosques, no matter period or country, must be oriented toward which of the
following cities?
a.
Medina
b.
Mecca
c.
Damascus
d.
Jerusalem
17. The hypostyle mosque, such as Kairouan, most closely reflects the mosque’s supposed origin. Which
of the following best supports this statement?
a.
It is Muhammad’s house in Medina.
b.
It is Muhammad’s house in Mecca.
c.
It is the house of Muhammad’s divine inspiration.
d.
It is the house from which Muhammad ascended into Paradise.
18. The Malwiya minaret in Samarra was too tall to have been used to call the faithful to prayer and was
clearly visible for a considerable distance. Which of the following is a possible explanation?
a.
It is patterned after the Tower of Babel.
b.
It is based on the ancient ziggurat.
c.
It is based on a Roman lighthouse.
d.
Its announced the presence of Islam.
19. The Saminid mausoleum from Bukhara can be said to be which of the following structure types?
a.
dome-on-a square form
b.
dome-on-a cube form
c.
basilican form
d.
octagon
20. The Great Mosque at Córdoba has a hypostyle prayer hall with horseshoe shaped arches adapted from
which of the following?
a.
Byzantine Egypt
b.
Visigoths
c.
Carolingians
d.
Rome
21. In the 10th century Caliph al-Hakam II undertook major renovations of the Great Mosque at Córdoba,
including a mosaic pattern for the maqsura. He wanted to rival the great mosaic-clad monuments
erected by his Umayyad predecessors in Jerusalem. Which of the following cities provided the
mosaicists?
a.
Jerusalem
b.
Damascus
c.
Rome
d.
Constantinople
22. An ancient Arab proverb proclaims, “Purity of writing, is purity of soul,” describes which of the
following?
a.
poetry
b.
story telling
c.
painting
d.
calligraphy
23. In the mid-13th century, the Mongols conquered much of the Eastern Islamic world. The center of
Islamic power moved from Baghdad to Egypt. The lords of Egypt at that time were Mamluks. The
definition of the word Mamluk translates to ____?
a.
slave
b.
noble Turk
c.
Christian
d.
Barbarian
24. The Ottomans developed a new style of mosque, which is a square prayer hall covered by a dome.
Which of the following are characteristics of Ottoman mosque architecture?
a.
rectangular and simple
b.
circular and formalistic
c.
geometric and formalistic
d.
geometric and simple
25. Umayyad palaces included elaborate bathing facilities, which were an inheritance from ____?
a.
Byzantium
b.
Abbasid Dynasty
c.
Roman influence
d.
Ottomans
26. The Abbasids overthrew the Umayyad caliphs and established a new capital at ____.
a.
Damascus
b.
Baghdad
c.
Medina
d.
Isfahan
27. The sacred book of Islam is the Koran or recitations. The recitations or instructions were given to
Muhammad by the ____.
a.
Holy Spirit
b.
Prophet Jeremiah
c.
Archangel Gabriel
d.
Prophet Isaiah
SLIDE IDENTIFICATION
Select the response that identifies or corresponds best to the image on the screen.
28. (Figure 10-4)
a.
Mosque at Córdoba
b.
Great Mosque at Damascus
c.
Madrasa of Sultan Hasan
d.
Great Mosque at Isfahan
29. (Figure 10-2)
a.
Hall of Two Sisters
b.
Shahi (Imam) Mosque
c.
Palace at Mshatta
d.
Dome of the Rock
30. (Figure 10-20)
a.
Spain
b.
Iran
c.
Turkey
d.
Iraq
31. (Figure 10-5A)
a.
Madrasa of Sultan Hasan
b.
Dome of the Rock
c.
Mosque of Selim II, Edirne
d.
Palace at Mshatta
32. (Figure 10-241)
a.
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
b.
Palace at Mshatta, Jordan
c.
Mosque of Selim II, Edirne
d.
Great Mosque at Damascus
33. (Figure 10-5B)
a.
Palace at Mshatta
b.
Mosque of Selim II, Edirne
c.
Mausoleum of the Saminids
d.
Mosque at Córdoba
34. (Figure 10-230)
a.
Mosque of Sultan Hasan
b.
Mosque at Córdoba
c.
Great Mosque at Damascus
d.
Mosque of Selim II, Edirne
35. (Figure 10-11)
a.
muezzin
b.
minaret
c.
maqsura
d.
minbar
36. (Figure 10-6)
a.
Córdoba
b.
Tunisia
c.
Cairo
d.
Granada
37. (Figure 10-32)
a.
gold
b.
silver
c.
brass
d.
niello
38. (Figure 10-8)
a.
mosque
b.
madrasa
c.
palace
d.
mausoleum
39. (Figure 10-5)
a.
Great Mosque at Damascus
b.
Great Mosque at Córdoba
c.
Great Mosque at Samarra
d.
Great Mosque at Isfahan
40. (Figure 10-26)
a.
tile
b.
brick
c.
copper tablets
d.
painted stucco
41. (Figure 10-9)
a.
prayer hall at Kairouan
b.
prayer hall at Damascus
c.
prayer hall at Córdoba
d.
prayer hall at Samarra
42. (Figure 10-15)
a.
earthenware
b.
ivory
c.
dyed vellum
d.
ink, paint and gold on paper
43. (Figure 10-18)
a.
Iran
b.
Iraq
c.
Saudi Arabia
d.
Syria
44. (Figure 10-17A)
a.
Imam Koran
b.
Royal Koran
c.
Gold Koran
d.
Blue Koran
45. (Figure 10-22A)
a.
saz
b.
caftan
c.
tughra
d.
sakkos
46. (Figure 10-26A)
a.
caftan
b.
tughra
c.
pyxis
d.
dish
SHORT ANSWER
1. Describe the cultural contributions made by Islam to Western Europe.
2. What is the Koran?
3. The Arab proverb, “Purity of writing is purity of soul,” describes calligraphy within the Islam world.
Briefly explain the phrase, “Purity of writing” in terms of Islamic art.
4. How does the Great Mosque of Damascus “owe much to the architecture of the Greco-Roman and
Early Christian East”?
5. What is arabesque and how does it relate to Islamic decoration?
6. What was the purpose of the rural palaces of the Umayyads of Damascus? How did these palaces serve
the political motivations of the Umayyads?
7. How did the city plan of 8th century Baghdad reflect Islamic power and culture?
8. Briefly describe the Abbasid contributions to Islamic culture.
9. Why were monumental tombs virtually unknown in the early Islamic period and how did this change?
10. Briefly describe the Saminid mausoleum and its contribution to Islamic architecture.
11. How does the decorative design of the Toul Cathedral silk fragment differ from the architectural
decorative design of mosques? How did it come to Toul Cathedral?
12. Describe the Alhambra and its impact on the West.
13. How did the Mongols impact Islamic art?
14. How does the label, “Sinan the Great,” describe the architect and his work?
ESSAY
1. Discuss the effects the religious beliefs and practices of Islam had on the art of the Mediterranean and
the Middle East. Use examples to support your essay.
2. Compare and contrast the “shared” heritage of the Christian West and the Christian East with Islamic
culture. Consider the motifs borrowed and adapted to fit within the tenets of Islam. How were they
modified to illustrate this new religion and political ambitions of subsequent generations? Use
examples to support your essay.
3. Evaluate the development of the mosque and identify its significant architectural traits. How does it
relate to the worship of the faith? How does it reflect the political change initiated by Islam? Use
examples to support your essay.
4. Compare and contrast the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem with the Mosque of Selim II in Edirne. What
are the differences? How do you account for them? Include in your essay the political overtones as
well Western artistic influences. Use examples to support your essay.
5. Compare and contrast the luxury arts of Islam. How do they respond to their respective creating
cultures? What are the political overtones found in the work? How did these luxury arts influence the
West? Use examples to support your essay.
6. Describe the significance of and political messages of palaces in Islamic architecture. What similarities
or differences existed among them?
7. Evaluate the work of Sinan. Consider his training and what effect, if any, this had on his work. Include
his knowledge of the Christian West and its artists and architects as well as his knowledge of
Byzantium. Use examples to support your essay.
8. Compare and contrast the Mausoleum of the Saminids in Bukhara and the Madrasa-Mausoleum
Complex of Sultan Hasan. How does each structure reflect not only its period but also its culture?
Include in your essay the political overtones as well as any other artistic influences. Use examples to
support your essay.
9. Explain calligraphy as an art form, both as the written word and pure decoration and pattern. How does
it express the nature of Islam as a religion? How does it express the political and artistic needs of
Islam? Use examples to support your essay.
10. Compare and contrast the Great Mosque in Córdoba with the Great Mosque in Isfahan. What are the
stylistic differences and how does each mosque reflect its period?
OTHER
SLIDE QUESTIONS
1. What motifs decorate this work and how do they reflect its function?
2. What is represented on this page and how is it typical of Islamic manuscripts?
3. What is the Arabic proverb written on this plate?
4. How are these images alike?
5. Compare and contrast these two buildings. How do they reflect their respective periods?
6. What foreign stylistic influences can be seen in each of these images?
7. How do these two images reflect the Islamic love of decoration?
8. How are these objects unique and how do they conform to the Islamic prohibition against figuration?
9. How are these two structures politically motivated?