A beautifully illustrated exploration of the famed palace-city that was once the heart of Islamic Spain Madinat al-Zahra, a tenth-century palace-city on the western outskirts of Córdoba, Spain, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands as a testament to the multicultural environment fostered by its founders. Built by ʿAbd al-Rahman III (r. 929–961), a member of the Umayyad dynasty and the first caliph of al-Andalus, the city symbolized the caliph’s aspiration to rule over the Fatimid Caliphs of Ifriqiya in North Africa and the Abbasid Caliphs in Baghdad and was the site of vast cultural and artistic creation. The companion volume to an exhibition at New York University’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, this book showcases the complex visual vocabulary of Madinat al-Zahra, which derived from diverse cultural traditions and was translated into new and unique architectural and material cultures. Thematic essays examine the history of the Islamic Caliphate in Muslim Iberia (al-Andalus), the cultural and artistic traditions of the time, and the resulting multicultural society, while shorter, object-focused chapters explore the variety of works found at the ancient site—from jewelry and ceramics to medical texts and epigraphic materials. Contributors include Nour Ammari, Maribel Fierro Bello, Gerrit Bos, Roberta Casagrande-Kim, Patrice Cressier, Miquel Forcada, Teresa Garulo, Fabian Käs, Ana Labarta, Eduardo Manzano Moreno, Antonia Martínez Núñez, Jorge Elices Ocón, Mariam Rosser-Owen, Irene Montilla Torres, Antonio Vallejo Triano, and Mercè Viladrich. Distributed for the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University Exhibition Schedule Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University October 30, 2024–March 2, 2025

From 711 when they arrived on the Iberian Peninsula until 1492 when scholars contribute a wide-ranging series of essays and catalogue entries which are fully companion to the 373 illustrations (324 in color) of the spectacular art and architecture of the nearly vanished culture. 91/2x121/2 they were expelled by Ferdinand and Isabella, the Muslims were a powerful force in al-Andalus, as they called the Iberian lands they controlled. This awe-inspiring volume, which accompanies a major exhibition presented at the Alhambra in Granada and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is devoted to the little-known artistic legacy of Islamic Spain, revealing the value of these arts as part of an autonomous culture and also as a presence with deep significance for both Europe and the Islamic world. Twenty-four international Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Abd al-Rahman III (891 - 961) was the greatest of the Umayyad rulers of Spain and the first to take the title of Caliph. During his reign, Islamic Spain became wealthy and prosperous. He founded the great Caliphate of Madinat al-Zahra at Cordova and did much in his lifetime to pacify his realm and stabilise the borders with Christian Spain. He died at the apex of his power on Oct. 15, 961.

The Dictionary of Islamic Architecture provides the fullest range of artistic, technical, archaeological, cultural and biographical data for the entire geographical and chronological spread of Islamic architecture - from West Africa through the Middle East to Indonesia, and from the seventh to the eighteenth centuries of the Common Era. Over 500 entries are arranged alphabetically and fully cross-referenced and indexed to permit easy access to the text and to link items of related interest. Four main categories of subject matter are explored: * dynastic and regional overviews * individual site descriptions * biographical entries * technical definitions Over 100 relevant plans, sketch maps, photographs and other illustrations complement and illuminate the entries, and the needs of the reader requiring further information are met by individual entry bibliographies.

This is the definitive survey of Islamic architecture. Working from a social, rather than a technical perspective, Hillenbrand shows how the buildings fulfilled their intended functions within the community. Lavishly illustrated.

The Alhambra is the only Muslim palace to have survived since the Middle Ages and has long been a byword for exotic and melancholy beauty. In his absorbing new book, Irwin, Arabist and novelist, examines its history and allure.

Ana Ruiz traces the Celt-Iberian, Roman, and Visigoth roots of the capital of Spain and explores Moorish Madrid of yesterday and today. She recounts intriguing legends and highlights curiosities and special sites in Madrid as well as Toledo. She explains place-names and terms, and the ample illustrations make this an unusual street-by-street guide for travel buffs and everyone who enjoys the kaleidoscopic culture of Spain.

This classic bestseller — the inspiration for the PBS series — is an "illuminating and even inspiring" portrait of medieval Spain that explores the golden age when Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance (Los Angeles Times). This enthralling history, widely hailed as a revelation of a "lost" golden age, brings to vivid life the rich and thriving culture of medieval Spain, where for more than seven centuries Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance, and where literature, science, and the arts flourished. "It is no exaggeration to say that what we presumptuously call 'Western' culture is owed in large measure to the Andalusian enlightenment...This book partly restores a world we have lost." —Christopher Hitchens, The Nation