NAG-SR02 - Key Eras and Art in Islamic Formation
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Here is a special report summary drawing on the provided sources:
Special Report: Key Periods, Figures, and Art in the Formation of Islamic Art
Based on the provided sources, several time periods and key figures are particularly interesting for understanding the formation of Islamic art, especially as illuminated by monuments like Quṣayr ʿAmra. These sources also offer insights into cultural interactions and the nature of historical documentation from this era.
Here are eight notable time periods and figures identified in the sources, based on their estimated Julian Calendar dates:
The Period of Early Islamic Conquests (634-751 AD): This era marks the expansion of Islam beyond Arabia. It represents the broad foundational period across the lands taken over by the new faith, where a new artistic tradition began to emerge. The relative time for this emergence likely varied from region to region.
Mid-7th Century Iraq: According to the sources, the earliest definable monuments of Islam are found in Iraq and date from as early as the middle of the seventh century. These represent the very beginning of a new artistic tradition within the conquered territories.
The Reign of ʿAbd al-Malik (685–705 AD): This Umayyad caliph is significant for coinage reform. His reign saw the adaptation of earlier solidus/dinar designs (like those of Heraclius) and later the introduction of the first Islamic coinage to abandon imitation of East Roman and Sasanian models and use only religious texts, exemplified by the dinar dated 77 AH (696/697 AD).
The Period of the Spanish Conquest and its Aftermath (c. 711-715 AD): The conquest of Spain by Tariq b. Ziyad in 711 or 712 AD and the subsequent arrival of Musa b. Nusayr in Damascus shortly before the death of Caliph al-Walid I on February 24, 715 AD. This event, particularly the defeat of the last Visigothic ruler Roderic, is linked to the earliest possible date for the creation of the Six Kings fresco at Quṣayr ʿAmra, which features Roderic among other powerful rulers.
The Reign of Hisham (724-743 AD): This Umayyad caliph's reign is associated with the construction of significant sites like Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī and Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Sharqī. These sites reflect the courtly life and building activities of the Umayyad elite in Syria. Significant art associated with this period includes the gateway decorated in stucco at Qaṣr al-Ḥayr al-Gharbī.
The Reign of al-Walīd II (743-744 AD / AH 125-126): This short reign is crucial as al-Walīd II is identified as the patron of Quṣayr ʿAmra. The frescoes there are considered to have been completed during this time, offering an unrivaled visual resource for the preoccupations of the Umayyad court milieu at this moment. Significant art: The extensive fresco programme at Quṣayr ʿAmra is directly associated with him, including depictions of the enthroned prince, the dynastic icon, hunting scenes, bathing figures, personifications, the zodiac, builders, and the six kings [41, 53, 54, 95, 96, various index entries].
The Study Period of Quṣayr ʿAmra (Late 19th - Early 20th Century): Beginning with the rediscovery and initial documentation by figures like Alois Musil and Alphons Leopold Mielich in the late 19th century, leading to the 1907 publication. This period involved scholarly debate over the dating and interpretation of the site by figures such as Joseph Karabacek, Alois Riegl, Franz Wickhoff, K.A.C. Creswell, and Ernst Herzfeld. Significant art: The Quṣayr ʿAmra frescoes themselves became the central focus of study and debate during this time.
The Later Abbasid Period (9th-10th Centuries): While after the Umayyad period, figures like Ya'qubi (d. c. 905), Eutychius (d. 940), al-Tabari (d. 923), al-Madaini (752-839), and Ibn al-Faqih (wrote 902/3) compiled histories and literary works. These sources, despite potential biases and selectivity, provide essential written context for understanding the Umayyad era's history, court life, and cultural milieu.
The sources indicate that Umayyad art drew heavily on the artistic and cultural traditions of the conquered lands, including Late Antique, Roman, Byzantine, and Sasanian influences. The Umayyad elite borrowed ideas, images, and architectural forms from their neighbors.
While the sources mention pilgrimage in the context of the function of quṣur (country residences), noting that sites like Ziza and al-Humayma provided hospitality to pilgrims, they do not directly detail Grabar's specific ideas about Christian, Jewish, and Muslim populations honoring similar themes during pilgrimages based on these provided excerpts.
However, the sources do highlight instances of shared cultural and religious points of reference:
Umayyad art incorporated elements from earlier traditions, such as Christian iconography, which was then reinterpreted through an Islamic lens. For example, the enthroned prince at Quṣayr ʿAmra may be indebted to the Christian iconography of Adam but would be understood by a Muslim viewer in relation to the Quranic Adam, seen as God's first caliph.
The Old Testament is identified as a source from which both Christians and Muslims drew inspiration. An Arabic text at Quṣayr ʿAmra refers to Abraham and David.
Artisans working on Umayyad sites like Khirbat al-Mafjar included Christians, Muslims, and possibly Jews. This suggests a shared professional environment where different populations contributed to the art.
The figural decoration at sites like Quṣayr ʿAmra and Dura Europos challenged later conventional contrasts between aniconic Muslims and image-loving Greeks, suggesting a more complex reality in the early Islamic period.
Thus, the sources show evidence of shared cultural heritage and artistic influences among different populations in the Umayyad era, rooted in late antiquity and including Christian and Jewish traditions, although they don't explicitly link this sharing to specific themes honored during pilgrimage from Grabar's perspective within these texts.
Please note that the following interpretation of Proverbs 4:23 is information from outside of the given sources.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV translation) states: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
This proverb emphasizes the critical importance of one's inner state—mind, intentions, and character—as the source from which all actions and perceptions arise.
For an "outsider" engaging with historical sources or different cultural perspectives, this guidance could be interpreted and applied in several ways:
Awareness of Bias: Recognizing that one's own background, beliefs, and biases ("heart") will inevitably influence how one interprets historical information (like the potentially biased later Arab histories mentioned in the sources) or understands art from a different culture (like interpreting Umayyad art that blends various traditions). Guarding one's heart involves being mindful of these internal filters.
Intellectual Humility: Approaching unfamiliar material or perspectives with a willingness to learn and avoid imposing preconceived notions or judgments based on one's own "heart." This resonates with the sources noting how early interpretations of Umayyad art were sometimes hindered by pre-existing ideas (e.g., about aniconism) or by the limitations of the available information.
Seeking Understanding: Focusing on understanding the internal context, intentions, and worldview ("heart") of the creators of the art or sources, rather than just evaluating them from an external standpoint. This aligns with the source's emphasis on contextualizing Quṣayr ʿAmra within its specific historical and social moment to understand its meaning.
In essence, Proverbs 4:23 suggests that clear and accurate understanding, as well as respectful interaction, begins with cultivating an honest, open, and critically aware inner self.
The formation of Islamic art | Grabar, Oleg | New Haven, Yale University Press
Qusayr 'Amra - Art and the Umayyad | Garth Fowden
Christian Iconography - A Study of Its Origins - André Grabar - 1968 - Princeton University Press
Book of Proverbs - Pereira Classics
NLT Study Bible - Tyndale House Publishers
Creed - Arms Wide Open
