APAH Unit 7 Flashcards

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Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple

Nabataean Ptolemaic and Roman. c. 400 bce–100 ce. Cut rock.

-Treasury Function: a tomb (called the treasury bc people thought it contained treasure)
-architectural forms: classical influence (frieze, Corinthian columns, pediment, stylobate)
-Roman influence bc it was a part of the HRE

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Buddha

Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Gandharan. c. 400–800 ce (destroyed in 2001). Cut rock with plaster and polychrome paint.

-Buddhism travels by Silk Road
-original appearance: Gandharan style Buddha (contrapposto), Greco influence, 175 ft tall, painted fully with metal jewelry
-function: to worship Buddha, circumambulate
-2001: Taliban blows it up, Iconoclasm, any religion other that Islam is a threat

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The Kaaba

Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Islamic. Pre-Islamic monument; rededicated by Muhammad in 631–632 ce; multiple renovations. Granite masonry, covered with silk curtain and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread.

-holiest shrine for Islam

-Muhammad changed it by adding black stone on outside
-function of interior: prayer (just for important people)
-2/5 pillars: pray 5 times toward Kaaba, lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca
-Muslims circumambulate around stone, try to touch black stone
-black stone: meteor from Adam and Eve, location of first temple
-Kiswah: black silk around Kaaba, Gold embroidery

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 Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple

Lhasa, Tibet. Yarlung Dynasty. Believed to have been brought to Tibet in 641 ce. Gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls, and paint; various offerings

-origin: India
-currently in Tibet (part of China), it was stolen from India—> sold around a lot until a rich family used it for compensation for marriage
-material: metal & Gold (jewels, silks, etc.)
-depicts Buddha at age 12
-artist: Vishvakarman
-most sacred of Tibet bc made by God, blesses/owned by Buddha
-powers: healing & advancing step to Nirvana
-origin challenged by Tech= made in 8th or 9th century (CE), Buddha from BC

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Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh)

Isfahan, Iran. Islamic, Persian: Seljuk, Il-Khanid, Timurid and Safavid Dynasties. c. 700 ce; additions and restorations in the 14th, 18th, and 20th centuries ce. Stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile.

-floorplan is different bc it has 4 hypostyle halls, 4 courtyards instead 1 of each
-Iwans: vaulted room that opens on one side to courtyard
-decorative ornamentation in Iwan vaults: Muqarnas
-Qibla Iwan: Iwan closest to Kaaba
-prayer room has Mihrab to direct prayer

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Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem. Islamic, Umayyad. 691–692 ce, with multiple renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome.

-significant site for Christianity, Judaism, & Islam
-first major building for Islam
-Form: octagon with a center dome (dome inspired by Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Christ's tomb)
-rock meaning in Islam: where Muhammad was transported to Heaven and back
-Mosaics depict plant motifs & geometric patterns (do not depict animals/humans)

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Folio from a Qur’an

Arab, North Africa, or Near East. Abbasid. c. eighth to ninth century ce. Ink, color, and gold on parchment.

-Quran: Islamic Holy text
-Folio: single page
-Kufic: decorative calligraphy used in Quran
-red dots: vowel sounds
-gold dots: paragraph/ text break
-material: vellum
-so few lines per page to increase value
-motifs in gold leaf decoration: plant/ geometric patterns

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Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis)

Muhammad ibn al-Zain. c. 1320–1340 ce. Brass inlaid with gold and silver.

-culture: Mamluk Empire (known for metalwork)
-material: brass (sculpture), Gold & silver (decoration)
-belonged to kings of France
-function: baptistery for royal family
-name is misleading bc it indicates that's Louis IX owned it but he died before
-change in location may be bc the patron was French or a European came and bought/ stole it (Europeans had respect for Mamluk metalworking abilities)

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Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama

Islamic; Persian, Il’Khanid. c. 1330–1340 ce. Ink and opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper.

-from Shahnama (book about the history of Iran/Persian Empire
-Bahram Gur: best warrior of Persia
-Karg: mythical creature of India
-fight represents power of Persia, teaches morals
-landscape has Chinese influence

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The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp’s Shahnama

Sultan Muhammad. c. 1522–1525 ce. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

-page of Shahmana (Book of Kings) (National Epic poem of Iran), about the history of Iran
-Gayumars: First king of Persia
-other figures surrounding is court
-animals & natural setting represents how Gayumars was so in touch with nature
-Shahmana made for Ruler of Iran (Shah Tamasp)
-size significance: extremely detailed