The History of Islamic Arts:

Islamic art covers artwork made by Muslims from the 600s, when Islam first spread beyond Arabia, through the 1500s during the Ottoman Empire's peak. While some historians argue that Islamic art simply copied from earlier cultures like the Romans and Greeks, this view overlooks the unique contributions of Muslim artists. Islamic art includes many forms, from buildings to writing styles, pottery, glasswork, and fabric making.

Carpets and Rugs:

Carpets and rugs are perhaps the most well-known Islamic art forms. While few carpets from before the 1500s survive today, we can see what they looked like in European Renaissance paintings. These carpets were highly prized in Europe because they were far better than locally made ones. Owning an Islamic carpet showed that you were wealthy and important.

Different regions had their own carpet styles. Egyptian carpets, first found in the 1500s, had eight-sided circles, stars, and complex patterns that seemed to shimmer. Persian carpets were also famous, especially those made for palaces in the Ottoman Empire (based in Turkey) and the Mughal Empire (based in India).

Most Islamic carpets don't show pictures of living things because many Muslims believe only God should create life. Instead, they use geometric patterns. Muslims made carpets everywhere, from Persian cities to small Turkmen villages. Carpets weren't just for show; they were essential for daily life, used for prayer in mosques and eating meals at home.

Textiles:

Muslim textile makers were world-famous. In Muslim Spain (Al-Andalus) during the 800s, the city of Cordoba alone had 3,000 weavers making carpets, cushions, silk items, curtains, and leather goods. Different towns became known for specific products, like Cuenca for its wool. Even nomadic Turkmen women made various textile items for trade.

In Muslim society, specially decorated robes and turbans were given as honors by rulers. The Kaaba (the holy building in Makkah that Muslims face while praying) is covered with a beautiful black cloth decorated with gold designs and writing, called the kiswa. This cover is changed yearly.

European interest in Islamic textiles grew after the Crusades, when Europeans brought back fabrics and other goods from their campaigns. By the 1600s, Islamic textiles were so popular in England and France that they threatened local businesses, leading to import restrictions.

Pottery and Glass:

Muslim potters made major advances in the 700s and 800s. They invented new glazing techniques in Basra and created stone-paste ceramics in Iraq. Muslim potters from Spain, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and North Africa were as respected as Chinese ceramics makers. Many skilled potters moved to Konya, Turkey, in the 1300s to escape Mongol invasions.

Iraq and Syria were world leaders in glassmaking. In the 1200s and 1300s, Muslim craftspeople developed a technique called double stamping to create patterns on hot glass. Syrian glass was considered a luxury item.

Calligraphy:

Arabic writing, especially when done artistically in colors like green or gold, is particularly beautiful. While decorative writing existed in Arabia before Islam, it flourished after the Quran was revealed and paper became available. Paper was cheaper than animal skin or papyrus, letting writers practice more.

Muslim calligraphers often wrote special verses from the Quran that were believed to protect from evil. They also wrote the 99 names of Allah, Ayatul kursi and Sura Mulk, which describe God's qualities, like "The Most Merciful" and "The Most Gracious." These decorated writings appear in mosques and on decorative objects.

Europeans admired Arabic calligraphy so much that they tried to copy it, even without understanding the meaning. Surprisingly, a 9th-century cross found in Ireland has Arabic writing on it saying "Bismillah" (in the name of Allah).