ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE (VOCAB SET #2)

ISLAMIC REALMS VOCAB TERMS

Hajj

The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five ‘pillars’ of the Islamic faith.

Ablaq

Arabic term for alternating bands of different colored masonry.

Kufic Script

The angular, intertwined lettering of the Arabic alphabet used to decorate Islamic religious buildings.

Mihrab

A niche in the qibla wall of a Muslim religious building indicating the direction towards Mecca.

Qibla Wall

The wall indicating the proscribed Muslim alignment to Mecca to which all mosques and tombs are oriented.

Minaret

A tall, slender tower at a mosque, from which the faithful are called to prayer by the crier or muezzin.

Sahn

The open courtyard of an Islamic building.

Congregational Mosque

Mosque where the community of believers come to worship and hear a sermon on Fridays.

Ablution

Ritual or ceremonial act of washing before prayer.

Horseshoe Arch

A type of arch with an opening at the bottom that is narrower than the full span of the arch.

Mappa Mundi

A medieval European map of the world.

Voussoir

A wedge-shaped block that is one of the units of an arch or vault.

Maksura

The screened-off area near the mihrab niche for the ruling elite in a royal mosque.

Muqarnas

Honeycomb or stalactite decoration of a vault or overhang, usually made with plaster as a succession of small niches.