The Archaeology of Medieval Islamic Frontiers demonstrates that different areas of the Islamic polity previously understood as “minor frontiers” were, in fact, of substantial importance to state formation. Contributors explore different conceptualizations of “border,” the importance of which previously went unrecognized, examining frontiers in regions including the Magreb, the Mediterranean, Egypt, Nubia, and the Caucasus through a combination of archaeological and documentary evidence. Chapters highlight the significance of these respective regions to the emergence of new sociopolitical, cultural, and economic practices within the Islamic world. These studies successfully overcome the dichotomy of civilization’s center and peripheries in academic discourse by presenting the actual dynamics of identity formation and the definition, both spatial and cultural, of boundaries. The Archaeology of Medieval Islamic Frontiers is a rare combination of a new reading of written evidence with results from archaeological studies that will modify established opinions on the character of the Islamic frontiers and stimulate similar studies for other regions. The book will be relevant to medieval Islamic studies as well as to research in the medieval world in general. Contributors: Karim Alizadeh, Jana Eger, Kathryn J. Franklin, Renata Holod, Tarek Kahlaoui, Anthony J. Lauricella, Ian Randall, Giovanni R. Ruffini, Tasha Vorderstrasse

Sarah Lewis unearths the critical moment when Americans were confronted with the fictions shoring up the nation's racial regime and learned to disregard them. When popular nineteenth-century images of the Caucasus proved the lie of white supremacy, a new visual regime arose to suppress the evidence of the incoherence of racial order.

Armenia as a cultural and political entity has existed for over 3000 years. Buffeted for the last 1000 years between Russians, Turks, Persians and the various peoples of the Caucasus, Armenians have survived the looming presence of much more powerful neighbours. The existence of the country has been recorded by mapmakers since the beginnings of cartography - including the various configurations of borders of the Armenian homeland which have shifted back and forth with the political fortunes of the peoples. This book brings together a collection of the most important maps of Armenia, from the oldest known version - a Babylonian clay tablet of the 6th century BC - to the renderings of Greek and Alexandrian cartographers, early Christian maps as well as versions from Ottoman and other Islamic centres. The text includes works by some of the greatest mapmakers, including Mercator and Ortelius. The cartographic treasures in this book include maps from the most important collections in Europe and America. With his detailed descriptions of 125 and his introductory text, the author has produced a work of reference and artistic distinction, which should prove a valuable tool to all who follow the history of Armenia, the Caucasus, the Ottoman and Iranian worlds, as well as to collectors and enthusiasts of cartography.

There are two Armenias: the current Republic of Armenia and historic Armenia. The modern state dates from the early 20th century. Historic Armenia was part of the ancient world and expired in the Middle Ages. Its people, however, survived, and from its residue recreated a new country. The history of the Armenians is the story of how an ancient people endured into modern times and how its culture evolved from one conceived under the influence of Mesopotamia to one redefined by the civilization of Europe. The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of Armenia relates the turbulent past of this persistent country through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and over 200 cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, events, places, organizations, and other aspects of Armenian history from the earliest times to the present.

How did terms like “Asia,” “Eurasia,” “Indochina,” “Pacific Rim” or “Australasia” originate and evolve, and what are their connections to the built environment? In addressing this question,Architecturalized Asia bridges the fields of history and architecture by taking “Asia” as a discursive structure and cultural construct, whose spatial and ideological formation can be examined through the lenses of cartography, built environments, and visual narratives. The first section, on the study of architecture in Asia from the medieval through early modern periods, examines icons and symbols in maps as well as textual descriptions produced in Europe and Asia. The second section explores the establishment of the field of Asian architecture as well as the political and cultural imagining of “Asia” during the long nineteenth century, when “Asia” and its regions were redefined in the making of modern world maps mainly produced in Europe. The third section examines tangible structures produced in the twentieth century as legible documents of these notional constructions of Asia. In exploring the ways in which “Asia” has been drawn and framed both within and without the continent, this volume offers cutting-edge scholarship on architectural history, world history and the history of empires. Written by architectural historians and historians specializing in Asia and European empires, this unique volume addresses the connection between Asia and the world through the lenses of built environments and spatial conceptualizations. Architecturalized Asiawill appeal to readers who are interested in Asian architecture, world architecture, Asian history, history of empires, and world history.

From the battles over Jerusalem to the emergence of the “Holy Land,” from legally mandated ghettos to the Edict of Expulsion, geography has long been a component of Christian-Jewish relations. Attending to world maps drawn by medieval Christian mapmakers, Cartographies of Exclusion brings us to the literal drawing board of “Christendom” and shows the creation, in real time, of a mythic state intended to dehumanize the non-Christian people it ultimately sought to displace. In his close analyses of English maps from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Asa Mittman makes a valuable contribution to conversations about medieval Christian perceptions of Jews and Judaism. Grounding his arguments in the history of anti-Jewish sentiment and actions rampant in twelfth- and thirteenth-century England, Mittman shows how English world maps of the period successfully Othered Jewish people by means of four primary strategies: conflating Jews with other groups; spreading libels about Jewish bodies, beliefs, and practices; associating Jews with Satan; and, most importantly, cartographically “mislocating” Jews in time and space. On maps, Jews were banished to locations and historical moments with no actual connection to Jewish populations or histories. Medieval Christian anti-Semitism is the foundation upon which modern anti-Semitism rests, and the medieval mapping of Jews was crucial to that foundation. Mittman’s thinking offers essential insights for any scholar interested in the interface of cartography, politics, and religion in premodern Europe.

This book examines the arts and artistic exchanges at the ‘Christian Oriental’ fringes of Europe, especially Armenia. It starts with the architecture, history and inhabitants of the lesser known pilgrim compounds at the Vatican in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, of Hungary, Germany, but namely those of the most ancient of Churches, the Churches of the Christian Orient Ethiopia and Armenia. Without taking an Eurocentric view, this book explores the role of missionaries, merchants, artists (for example Momik, Giotto, Minas, Domenico Veneziano, Duerer), and artefacts (such as fabrics, inscriptions and symbols) travelling into both directions along the western stretch of the Silk Road between Ayas (Cilicia), ancient Armenia and North-western Iran. This area was truly global before globalization, was a site of intense cultural exchanges and East-West cultural transmissions. This book opens a new research window into the culturally mixed landscapes in the Christian Orient, the Middle East and North-eastern Africa by taking into consideration their many indigenous and foreign artistic components and embeds Armenian arts into today’s wider art historical discourse. This book will be of interest to scholars in art history, architectural history, missions, trade, Middle Eastern arts and the arts of the Southern Caucasus.

This new, thoroughly updated sixth edition of Bradt’s Armenia remains the only standalone, English-language guide to this mountainous post-Soviet republic at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Packed with detailed background information and invaluable practical advice, Bradt’s Armenia remains the essential choice for anyone travelling to this beautiful country, which is now easily and cheaply accessed by air. Following recent political changes, the story of this new republic is rapidly being rewritten, with transformations extending far beyond the vibrant capital of Yerevan. Road infrastructure has greatly improved, while rural tourism is coming to life in even far-flung provinces, thereby catering for visitors exploring well off the beaten path. New elements in this edition include: expanded treatment of new budget accommodation in Yerevan and provincial capitals; enhanced information on Yerevan designed to inspire the city-break visitor, encompassing arts, culture and nightlife; a wealth of new information for adventurous travellers, including about more than 300km of new hiking trails established since 2018; and an enhanced language section designed to facilitate communication with Armenians. Bradt’s Armenia provides the information needed for a successful trip, covering all the most popular sights as well as those off-the-beaten track, including Dilijan National Park and the stunning forested mountains of Tavush, a region undergoing a renaissance as a place to reconnect with nature; Areni village, one of the birthplaces of wine; and Vayots Dzor, the ‘valley of woes’, whose side valleys are abundant with wildlife-spotting opportunities. Tatev village and the Vorotan Canyon are included, as are the Orbelian’s Ccaravanserai and other remnants of the ancient Silk Road trading route network that once criss-crossed the Caucasus region. Rich in both history and spectacular scenery, Armenia is a truly captivating country. Whether seeking out ancient monasteries dotted within dramatic landscapes, wandering through one of Yerevan’s impressive museums or admiring the intricate stone carvings at Noratus, you’ll find opportunities to delve into this nation’s past at every turn. Add to this the welcoming local people, superb hiking possibilities and abundant bird life, and you’ll soon discover why Armenia is worth more than just a fleeting visit.

This book represents a reflection on the policies of preservation that were established and interventions for restoration that occurred in Iran before and in the years after the Khomeinist Revolution, as well as being an analysis of the impact that Italian restoration culture has had in the country. Research concerning the state of conservation and the ongoing restoration of the Armenian churches in the Khoy and Salmas areas is included, along with precise documentation of the observation of the two cities, their architecture and the context of their landscape. The problems of architectural restoration in present-day Iran and the compatible use of buildings no longer intended for worship are addressed. The book is bolstered by first-hand documentation obtained through inspections and interviews with Iranian specialists during three missions carried out between 2016 and 2018 and a large anthology of period texts that have only recently been made available for the first time for study in electronic form, including travel reports written by Westerners describing Persia between the 15th and 19th centuries.