Architecture of the Islamic World: Its History and Social Meaning

By Oleg Grabar, James Dickie, Ernst J. Grube

Book Overview

From mosques to markets, from citadels to cemeteries, this is a panoramic survey of the entire field of Islamic architecture, with contributions by leading experts in the field. Constantly relating the architecture to the social areas of religion, power structure, commerce and communal life, the authors provide a full and informative survey with its emphasis on function and meaning rather than on chronology and style. * Over 750 photographs * Drawings and plans * Building materials * Techniques and principles, of decoration described and explained * Comprehensive illustrated inventory of the key buildings of the Islamic world

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0500278474
• ISBN13: 9780500278475
• Release Date: August 1995
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 2.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.4" x 10.7"

Customer Reviews

Good for people who start

A Person who just starts to learn something about Islamic culture should read it. For people who knows a lot the catalogue at the second part of the book would be helpful but it is also not complete.

A very comprehensive introduction to muslim architecture

I love this book. It gives you a very good insight to muslim architecture and is at the same time easy to read and entertaining. As an orientalist in a postgrad study program I got to read books on the subject that are much more confusing or that are written in a slightly boring style. This book is a thorough introduction that never just stays on the surface of the matter. It does not give you a chronological account of architecture history, but answers a lot of questions like "Why it was built like it was built?" In the back part of the book you find plans and short descriptions of the most important buildings, in the first part you find a lot of good photographs and even better articles on single subjects like materials or building techniques. But the most important thing: It's NEVER boring.