MINARET Symbol of Islam

Bloom, Jonathan

ISBN 10: 0197280137 / ISBN 13: 9780197280133

Published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1989

25 x 18 cm 216 pp with 133 b&w illustrations. Seller Inventory # 006951

Synopsis:

Using buildings, archeological reports, medieval histories, geographies and early Arabic poetry, this book reinterprets the origin, development and meanings of the minaret, explaining how the tower became identified with Islam. It shows that introducing the tower into the mosque marked a major shift in the iconography of architecture, in that the tower, once a sign of political and royal power, became associated with religious architecture. The author then describes the spread of the minaret throughout the Islamic lands until it became universally accepted as a sign of Islam in the 12th century. It concludes with an overview of subsequent developments once the minaret had become the symbol of Islam. The book not only provides a historical survey, but is also an attempt to investigate the modes of perception in the medieval world.

Review: "Ought to be part of the library of all institutions with an interest in Islam."--Religious Studies Review

Bibliographic Details

Title: MINARET Symbol of Islam
Publisher: Oxford University Press, Oxford
Publication Date: 1989
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fine
Edition: 1st Edition