11/13/2012

[4th LizzK]

• Art and architecture
  • Calligraphy  is the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush.
  • Arabesque is a complex, ornate design that usually incorporates flowers leaves, and geometric designs.
  • Influences of Muslim Art
    
    • When the Empire expanded, art techniques were picked up.
    • Roman and Christian art, Pre-Islamic Persian art, and Chinese art.
    • Allah and the Islamic religion influences their art as well.
    • Living things were not in art because Muslim leaders believed that people would worship art, rather than Allah.
  • Types of Art
    
    • Calligraphy
      
      • Many books like the Qur'an are written in this.
      • They reflect glory to Allah.
      • pictures are formed in the writing.
    • Arabesque
      
      • Paintings
      • Rugs and carpets
      • Ceramics
      • Tiles
      • Glassware
    • Muslim Architecture
      
      • Moorish architecture is used to describe the Islamic architecture of North Africa and parts of Spain and Portugal where the Moors were dominant from 711-1492.
      • Moorish architecture reached its peak in the construction of Alhambra, a fancy palace/fortress built in Granada.
    • Holy Sanctuary of Ka'Ba
      
      • In 630, Muhammad's army reconquered the city of Mecca from the Banu Quraish tribe.
      • They reconstructed the holy sanctuary of Ka'ba.
      • this sanctuary was the first major work of the Islamic Architecture movement.
      • Ka'ba is the most important sacred spot in the Islamic religion.
    • Muslim Architecture
      
      • A set of tiles called girih tiles were used to create decorative patters on building sin Islamic architecture.
      • The great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq completed in 847 AD combined the hypostyle architecture of rows of columns by making a huge spiraling minaret.
    • Math
      
      • Muslim scholars believed that math was the basis of all knowledge.
      • During this time, algebra and algorithms were developed.
      • A man by the name of Al-Khwarizmi invited algebra.
      • Spherical trigonometry along with all of the other trigonometric functions were invented.
      • Also, there were several advances in algebra, arithmetic calculus, geometry, cryptography, number theory, and trigonometry.
• Trade
  
  • Routes
    
    • Spread Muslim culture to Europe and created the silk road.
    • May cities had their own goods that they exported.
    • This lead to wealth and popularity from North Africa across the Sahara into West Africa and the entire Middle east into India and Southeast Asia.
  • Bank System
    
    • They have a non-debt based currency and Asset and Investment based banking system.
    • Islam was the first system to implement Ethical Banking.
    • Also, investment banking was created instead of interest based loans.
  • Sakk
    
    • Sakks (Sukak)- Arabic name for financial certificates equivalent to a bond.
    • They are securities that are based with the Islamic law.
    • Prohibit the charging of interest.
    • Fixed income interest-bearing bonds are not permissible in Islam.
  • What did they trade?
    
    • Animals such as:
      
      • tigers, elephants, leopards, falcons, donkeys, ostriches, camels, and horses.
    • Slaves
      
      • girls, men, etc.
    • Jewels
    • Papers
    • Oils
    • Silks
    • Cloth
    • Food
    • Armour
    • Helmets
  • Who they traded to:
    
    • Mamluks
    • Ottomans (main trading partners)
    • and Safavids.
  • Currency
    
    • Dinar
    • There are ten different circulating currencies of dinar.
    • Now, if you had ten U.S. dollars you would have 11,505 Iraqi dinar.
    • Gold dinar is also called Mancus.