Vocab List Test 2 (1)

Vocabulary for Test #2

Chapter 7

• 4-iwan plan: Cruciform arrangement of 4 large vaulted halls.

• ablaq: Close juxtaposition of stones of contrasting colors for decorative effect.

• baraka: Blessing.

• dikka: Platform in the mosque from which the Quran is recited and prayers are delivered by the imam.

• joggled voussoirs: Interlocking blocks (voussoirs) that make an arch.

• khutba: Friday sermon delivered in the mosque.

• mamluk: Literally means "owned"; refers to slaves.

• madrasa: Theological college.

• oculus: Circular window (from the Latin word "eye").

• pendentive: Supportive panel curving in both horizontal and vertical directions that transfers the weight of the dome from its rim to the four corners of the base.

• sultan: Ruler.

• squinch: Small arch (or niche) that spans the corners of the dome chamber’s base, transitioning from a 4-sided square to an 8-sided band for the dome.

• tiraz: Literally means "inscription"; refers to textiles with borders embroidered with inscriptions.

• tympanum: Flat, half-circular panel formed by the arch over the door lintel.

• waqf: Religious endowment for an institution such as a mosque or charitable practice like providing dowries for orphans.

Chapter 8

• muqarnas: Small curved niches stacked to create a honeycomb effect.

• qubba: A dome or domed structure.

Chapter 9

• sebka: Ornamental screen or panel formed by the repeated interlacing of arches.

• vassal: One who receives protection in return for allegiance and acknowledges subordination, often paying a fee for such protection.

Chapter 10

• corbel: An element that extends horizontally from the wall and carries superincumbent weight.

• mud brick: Air-dried brick made of earth and a binder like straw.

• zawiya: A monastery or religious community centered around a spiritual leader (marabout).

• zellij: Glazed tile, cut into geometric shapes, and reassembled like mosaic.

• pisé: Rammed earth construction, similar to mud brick but not made in individual bricks.

Chapter 11

• hazar-baf: A brickwork pattern, literally meaning "a thousand weavings."

• pishtaq: Arch or iwan set within a rectangular frame, often rising above the adjacent wall.

• dome-on-square: A morpheme consisting of a square base supporting a dome.

• sufism: Muslim mysticism aiming for a personal relationship with God.

• Turkish triangles: Pendentives rendered as flat triangular panels.

• qibla iwan: An iwan that extends in the direction of the qibla.