Studies in Arab Archaeology

Islamic monuments are an integral part of Islamic history and are considered among the most important pillars of Islamic civilization. If history is represented by written documents, manuscripts, and records found in books, then monuments are the enduring, tangible evidence of an era's greatness or lack thereof, and irrefutable proof of the development and sophistication of Islamic thought and civilization in every place and time. Therefore, in this book, I have studied some Islamic architectural styles, considering architecture as a branch of the many branches of monuments. This is the first installment in a series that discusses the most important and famous Arab and Islamic architectural styles in Egypt and the Islamic world, and the extent of influence and interaction between Egyptian Islamic architecture and art, and Islamic arts and architecture in the eastern and western parts of the Islamic world. In this book, the researcher does not merely provide a descriptive study of each monument, but also follows it with an analysis of the civilizational role of each, to complete the picture for the reader. Sultans and princes were not only concerned with the splendor of the building, but also with what these structures and monuments offered to the public and students of knowledge, considering both the beauty of appearance and the magnificence of essence. This is the most beautiful characteristic of Islamic architecture throughout its various periods. This work focuses on several key themes, including defining antiquities according to linguists and terminologists, the benefits and importance of archaeology, and the Quran and Sunnah's discourse on history in general and antiquities in particular. It also discusses architectural models from different eras and Arab countries, including examples of Egyptian architecture from various periods such as the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, the gates of Cairo, and some Fatimid mosques like the Mosque of al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, al-Azhar Mosque, the Salahiyya Khanqah, and the Kamiliyya Madrasa. It also examines examples of Mamluk architecture, such as the complex of al-Mansur Qalawun, and other examples from other Arab countries, such as the Mustansiriya Madrasa, the Umayyad Mosque in Mosul and Damascus, the Sharabiya Madrasa, and the Khuld Palace. Furthermore, it explores examples of artistic masterpieces from different eras and countries, discussing the distinctive features and characteristics of each era and school.