EssaysSaving Faces: The Real Story of Representational Art in IslamMany people still believe that there is no representational art in Islam. In fact, there is a rich tradition of representational art, although it is usually seen in secular, rather than religious, The Birth of Islamic Art: the UmayyadsRobert Hillenbrand, Professor of Islamic Art at the University of Edinburgh, provides a thorough discussion of the artistic production of the first Islamic dynasty, the Umayyads, within both a Contemporary Architecture in the Arab States: IraqIn this essay Udo Kultermann discusses architecture projects in modern-day Iraq. Islamic Art in Context: The Historical BackgroundIn this chapter, Robert Irwin investigates the world into which Islam emerged, with particular attention to the Byzantine and Sassanian empires. Through an examination of the existing cultures, the A Global Guide to Islamic ArtWhile some types of Islamic art, such as Qur'an manuscripts, mosque lamps or carved wooden minbars (pulpits), are directly concerned with the faith and practice of Islam, the majority of objects ActivitiesCreate a "Me"-niature PaintingStudents will create their own painting after learning about and reflecting on traditional Persian Miniature paintings created in the 13th -16th century. This lesson is designed for 9th grade Art and World History students.Persian Miniature Paintings Visual TourTake students on an interactive visual tour through two 16th-century Persian paintings that beautifully illustrate urban and rural life in a Muslim context.Image GalleryMultimediaKhaled Al-Saa'i, a Calligrapher at WorkThis clip represents the convergence of three of the most important art forms in the Arab world. Syrian calligrapher Khaled Al-Saa'i writes a verse by the Jordanian poet Taher Riadh while accompanied by Khaled Jaramani, lute virtuoso. (3.13 MB) |
Teacher Institutes
MEPC provides free, highly acclaimed, non-partisan workshops on the Middle East and Islam across the U.S. Our education director will come to your school, organization or conference with innovative strategies for teaching these complex topics. We tailor workshops to your specific needs
Arab Culture & Civilization
Explore this exemplary library of articles and resources on Arab societies and culture. This site was originally created by the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE).
