Lecture 18 Art History

Caliph

Religious and political successor to the Prophet Muhammad

Caliphate

Empire ruled by a caliph

Revetment

In architecture, a decorative facing of stone, stucco, or other material covering a surface constructed of less attractive material, such as brick or concrete

Aniconic

Term that refers to the absence or deliberate avoidance of representational images of sentient beings, particularly in religious contexts

Qur’an

holy book of Islam

Portico

A structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, usually attached to a building as a proch

Ablution Fountain

Water fountain in which Muslims wash ritually before prayer that is typically located in the courtyard of a mosque

Minaret

A tower at a mosque, can be used to give the call to prayer and also functions as a visible marker of the mosque on the skyline

Hypostyle Hall

A large room with rows of columns or pillars supporting the roof. In Islamic Architcture, the hypostyle mosque is one of the earliest and most common plans for a congregational mosque

Gabled Roof

A roof with two sloping sides

Mihrab

Prayer niche, usually concave in shape with an arched top, located in the qibla wall of a mosque and indicating the direction of Mecca

Qibla Wall

The wall that Muslim people face in order to pray at the mosque

Minbar

A stepped pulpit from which the sermon at Friday noon prayer is given in a mosque; usually placed directly next to the mihrab on the qibla wall