Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "AH 265"
COURSE NAME: "Islamic Art and Architecture: AD 650-1250"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2017

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Sharon Salvadori
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 11:30 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course surveys the art and architecture of the Islamic world from the 7th to the 13th centuries. The phenomenal rise and establishment of Islamic civilization in three continents- Asia, Africa and Europe- in this period is studied through monumental religious and secular architecture and its applied decoration from mosaics to stucco and wall paintings and through painted ceramics, carved wood and ivories, metalwork, illuminated manuscripts, and embroidered and woven textiles. The form and function of buildings and artifacts, their changing patterns of use and their evolving meanings are examined in their original social, political, religious, and cultural contexts. One of the primary aims is to become familiar with the regional diversity of medieval Islamic visual culture and so also to consider what issues are involved in studying a tradition that flourished in several geographical areas, encompassing a variety of cultures and national and ethnic identities. Two special areas of focus are the urban design and architecture of Islamic medieval centers such as Cairo and Islamic court culture which, often centered around royal palaces such as Madinat al-Zahra in Spain, produced some of the most outstanding luxury arts of the Middle Ages.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
See Course Description.
The main text for the course is Ettinghausen, R., Grabar, O. and Jenkins-Madina, M. Islamic Art and Architecture 650-1250. Yale University Press 2001.
Titles in the Course schedule are abbreviated; full titles are available in the course bibliography to be posted on MYJCU at the beginning of term.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Ø knowledge and understanding of the design, structure, style, function, intended meaning and reception (political, religious, social and aesthetic) of representative Medieval Islamic capitals, holy cities, palace-cities, mosques, and country and desert palaces

Ø knowledge and understanding of the media, design, structure, style, function, intended meaning and reception (political, religious, social and aesthetic) of important art-object types (e.g. ceramics)

Ø the characteristics of medieval Islamic culture as these are revealed by art, architecture, ritual and ceremony, including regional variants and differences in the course of the Middle Ages

Ø familiarity with different methods of art historical analysis and visual culture and the ability to deploy them successfully

Ø the ability to apply critical thinking and analysis generally

Ø ability to select and organize material to produce a coherent and cogent argument both orally and in writing- and to do so to so respecting deadlines

Ø ability to exchange ideas and engage in discussion with peers

TEXTBOOK:

Book Title	Author	Publisher	ISBN number	Library Call Number	Comments	Format	Local Bookstore	Online Purchase
Islamic Art and Architecture 650-1250	Ettinghausen, R., Grabar, O. and Jenikins-Madina, M.	Yale University Press	0-300-08867 / 978-0-300-08869-4

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Participation	In addition to attendance, active class participation is expected of all students. Participating effectively entails completing and taking notes on all "Required Reading" before class so that during class you can effectively engage: prepared to ask and answer questions and to share any pertinent observations. Remember too that the more you engage, the more fun the class will be not only for you but also for everyone else. Moreover, although participation is only 5% of the course grade it could ensure an A rather than an A- as your final grade.	5
QUIZZES	Preparation in the course of the semester will also be evaluated through 6 quizzes based on the "Required Reading" and in-class lectures. The quiz with the lowest score will be excluded from the final tally. That means that each of the remaining 5 quizzes is worth 4% of your course grade. Please be aware that if you miss a quiz -for any reason, including illness- you will not be able to make it up (it will be the one not tallied). The quizzes are designed to assess your knowledge of key facts concerning representative monuments and artworks and your ability to critically interpret their historical significance. Each quiz will consist in one or more questions on specific areas, monument or object types, individual monuments or artworks or sets of monuments or artworks. You may be asked the name of an area, monument, building or artwork, as well as its location, date, function and/or patronage; you may also be asked to describe it (structural and decorative components, materials used, style, iconography, etc.); or you may be asked to a question on some aspect of its significance (e.g. the possible motivations for locating a temple in specific area of a city or the intended meaning- political, religious, social, aesthetic- of the iconography of a given statue or statue-type.) Depending on the number and nature of the questions, you will be given anywhere between 10 and 15 minutes to answer. All quizzes will be on material we have previously discussed in class and will be drawn exclusively from the PPoint "Study Images" posted on MYJCU. The dates and topics of the quizzes are listed in the Course Schedule.	20
Presentation	The presentation is intended to develop your skills in research, observation, interpretation, evaluation and public speaking. Developing the ability to express yourself orally in a clear, concise and effective manner is as important as the content of the presentation (content without form undermines content itself...). The presentation consists of: 1. a 10 minute oral report to the class on a monument or artwork accompanied by a one or two-page handout to all members of the class (including me) with an outline of indicating the key points of your presentation and a bibliography; if appropriate, please also provide supporting images on your xeroxes. 2. a short paper (1000 words) consisting of your presentation elaborated in the form of a formal essay. The paper is due the class following your presentation both in hard copy (turned in to me in class) and electronically. The presentation combined with the class handout (50%) and the short paper (50%) are the bases of your grade. In some cases, the topics are intended to focus in more depth on key monuments already presented in class. In other cases, the topics are on monuments or artworks that we have not examined or have examined only very briefly and which warrant more attention. The key aim in every case is to critically engage with at least one scholarly interpretation on your topic. For each topic one source will already be selected for you and it is mandatory to read and present on it, but you are - of course- welcome to do further research. Topics and guidelines will be posted on MY JCU in the second week of the term. We will review these during class #5, and a sign-up sheet will be provided during class #6. Please choose your topic carefully as it ideally should be a preliminary research and analytical/interpretative project leading to the topic of your Term paper.	15
Term Paper	The term paper is intended to develop skills of independent research, ability to evaluate and interpret materials and their inherent interests, and capability for discussing these in a nuanced manner in writing. The paper must combine visual analysis, iconographic and historical research and contextual interpretation. In other words, it should be a formal essay that demonstrates the skills that you have developed and honed during the semester. Prior to completing the paper you must turn in an abstract and annotated bibliography (worth 15% of paper grade). The abstract should be 100 words (max). It is essentially a thesis statement, but it must mention what works you will be focusing on. The annotated bibliography must contain a minimum of 5 titles. Each publication must be briefly summarized and its relevance to your paper explained (150 words per title). The abstract and annotated bibliography is due class #20. The Term Paper itself (worth 85% of paper grade) must be 3000 words (c. 8-10 double spaced pages), exclusive of bibliography and images. The paper must include a complete bibliography of primary and secondary sources used and all references must be fully cited in the paper itself. It s due class #28. **Paper guidelines with suggested topics, suggestions on how to write an annotated bibliography, and other specifications will be posted on MYJCU in the first few weeks of the semester. We will review the guidelines after the mid-term exam (class #16), but please feel free to set up an appointment with me to discuss your paper any time before then.	25
Exams	Both exams are structured to assess your knowledge of essential facts about individual sites (e.g. Fatimid Cairo) or monuments (e.g. the Mosque of al-Hakim in Fatimid Cairo), types of artworks (e.g. ceramics ) and your ability to critically interpret and assess their historical significance. The mid-term exam takes place on class 14 for the duration of regular class time (75 minutes). It will cover material studied up to class 13. It consists in: -3 identifications: 5 minutes each (15% of the exam grade or 5% each) -2 comparisons: 10 minutes each (40% of the exam grade or 20% each) - 1 essay: 30 minutes (45% of the exam grade). A week prior to the exam, you will be given 2 essay questions accompanied by images of sites, monuments and artworks. One of the two will be on exam. However, the other topic will undoubtedly show up in the identifications and comparisons, so be sure to prepare for both. The final exam takes place during exam week (exact date, time and classroom TBA) and lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes. It is cumulative, although with a greater emphasis on material studied in the second half of term: generally speaking, you may expect material from the first half of term to show up in comparisons or in the essay, that is when it is relevant to the later developments which are the main focus of the exam (e.g. you may get a comparison between a mosque from the 8th or 9th century and one from the 11th century). The format is the same as that of the mid-term, but being a longer exam, there are more questions: -6 identifications: 5 minutes each (25% of the exam grade or 5% each) -4 comparisons: 10 minutes each (40% of the exam grade or 10% each) -1 essay: 30 minutes (35% of the exam grade). Again a week prior to the exam, you will be given 2 essay questions accompanied by images of sites, monuments and artworks. One of the two will be on exam. However, the other topic will undoubtedly show up in the identifications and comparisons, so be sure to prepare for both. Review Sheets will be provided a week before each exam. A review session is also scheduled for each exam (see Course Schedule)	mid-term 15; final 20

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
OFFICIAL JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until May 5, 2016

Course Attendance requirements
All scheduled classes are mandatory. Roll will be taken at the beginning of each class (i.e. you must also be on time!) Lectures do more than simply complement required reading assignments so being absent inevitably results in extra work to catch up. Typically, missing 4 or more classes results in poor performance, if not a failing grade. Please also be aware that missing classes may entail missing quizzes, which may not be made up (but see below on the "throw away" quiz). For this and other more obvious reasons, it is imperative to attend all classes.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

1. Mon. Jan 16

Suggested Reading:

Introduction

course aims and content (historical and thematic overview)

course logistics: syllabus, course texts, assignments, ArchNet

Ødefinitions of Islamic art and architecture

•CB: Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Grabar (1976): art of object; Blair and Bloom (2003): state of the question; Rabbat (2012): Islamic architecture state of the question

2. Wed. Jan 18

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Arabia in the time of Mohammed:

Intro. to Islam, Mohammed, the Qu'ran, belief and practice; Mecca, the Ka’ba, Medina, the house of the prophet and the mosque

•Ettinghausen et. al: Chapter 1, pp.2-8 and Chapter 2, 21-23

•ArchNet: Mecca, Ka’ba, Medina, Hajj routes

3. Mon. Jan 23

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Arabia in the time of Mohammed, cont.

See previous class

Early garrison towns: Kufa, Basra, Fustat, Kairoruan

•Ettinghausen et. al, Chapter 2, 21-23

•ArchNet: Kufa, Masjid al-Kufa, Dar al Imara( Kufa), Basra, Fustat, 'Amr, Mosque of and Jami' 'Amr ibn al-'As (Fustat), Qairawan •CB Islamic A & A, History, Culture general: Behrens-Abouseif (1989), pp. 47-50: mosque of ‘Amr in Fustat; Loseby (2009): Mediterranean cities in Late Antiquity

4. Wed. Jan 25

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Medieval Mosque (overview)

•CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Hillenbrand (1985): the medieval mosque

•CB Islamic A & A, History, Culture general: Frishman and Al-Asad (1994): mosques: browse for pictures; Grabar, O. (1969): Mosque and Middle Eastern cities

Review of Presentation Guidelines

5. Mon. Jan 30

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Late Antique Visual Culture:
The Roman and Sasanian empires: “the two eyes of the earth”

•CB: Late Antique A & A, History, Culture: Bowersock (1990): Hellenism in Islam and Gonosová (2000): lure of Sasanian

•ArchNet: Byzantine and Sasanian [to see sites from these periods, perform a search in the Research tab of Archnet, selecting the style name from the “Style/period” filter list] •CB Late Antique A & A, History, Culture: Bier (1993): Sasanian palaces impact on Islam; Curcic (1993): Late Antique palaces and urban context; Drijvers (2009) Rome and Sasanid Empire; Elsner (1998): issues of style; King: Islam and iconoclasm; Marsham (2009): caliphate and Late Antiquity; Papaioannou (2009): “Byzantine” Late Antiquity •CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Dodd (1969); Maguire (1993): art of court

*Quiz 1: The Mosque and its parts *

Sign up for Presentations

6. Wed. Feb. 1

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Caliph and God: Umayyad Jerusalem and Damascus

•Ettinghausen et. al Prologue Part I: "Historical ad Cultural Setting" (bkgrd), Chapter 2, pp. 15-29, 59-62 (architectural decoration)

•ArchNet: Umayyad (in time line), Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem, Great Mosque of Damascus
•CB Umayyad Middle East: Brisch (1988): mosaics Great Mosque D.; Grabar (1959): D of the R; Grabar (1996), pp. 21-51: formation Islamic Jerusalem, pp. 52-116: D of the R, pp. 117-134: Jerusalem Haram and its monuments; Grabar (2006): D of the R- browse for pictures; Hillenbrand (2012): mosaics GMD; Rabbat (1989): D of the R; Grafman and Rosen-Ayalon (1999): Umayyad Al-Aqsa mosque and GMD. •CB Late Antique A & A, History, Culture: Marsham (2009): caliphate and Late Antiquity •CB Islamic A & A, history and culture general: Bloom (1991): origin of minaret; Dodd (1969): image of the word; Grabar, O. (2001): Art & Architecture and Qur'an; Schimmel and Rivolta (1992): art of calligraphy

7. Mon. Feb. 6

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Caliph and God: Umayyad Jerusalem and Damascus, cont.

See previous class

See Previous class

8. Wed. Feb. 8

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Power and Leisure: Umayyad “desert” palaces and retreats

•Ettinghausen et. al Chapter 2, pp. 36-51 and 59-62 (architectural decoration)

•ArchNet: Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi (aka Qasr al-Hayr East) Syria; Qasr al-Kharana, Jordan; Khirbat al-Mafjar, Palestine, Qasr al-Mshatta (aka Mshatta or Mushatta), Jordan, (Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi (aka Qasr al-Hayr West), Syria Quasayr ‘Amra, Jordan •CB Umayyad Middle East: Bacharach (1996) patronage; Grabar (1993): palaces; Hillenbrand (1982): Dolce Vita and palaces •CB Late Antique A & A, History, Culture: Marsham (2009): caliphate and Late Antiquity •CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Golombek (1988) use of textiles; Grabar (1987), pp. 133-169: art of court; Maguire (1993): art of court; Necipologu (1993): Islamic palaces

*Quiz 2: The Dome of the Rock and the Great Mosque of Damascus

9. Fri. Feb. 10
official make-up
for Easter Monday

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Power and Leisure: Umayyad “desert” palaces and retreats, cont.

See previous class

See Previous class

10. Mon. Feb.13

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Umayyad presentations: architecture and architectural decoration

Abbasid Caliphs: Palace-Cities and Mosques, c. 750-850

•Ettinghausen et. al Prologue Part I: "Historical ad Cultural Setting" (bkgrnd) and Chapter 2, pp. 28-31 and 51-59

•ArchNet: Abbasid building style; Al-Mansur’s Round City (Baghdad); Jawasq al-Khaqani (Samarra); Great Mosque of al-Mutawakkil (Samarra); Mosque of Abu Dulaf (Samarra) •CB Abbasid: Northedge (1981) and (1993): Samarra; Haase (2007); Abbasid stucco decoration; Saba (2015): Jawasq al-Khaqani decoration •CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Bloom (1991): origin of minaret; Bloom (1993): domes and iconography of height; Golombek (1988) use of textiles; Grabar (1987), pp. 133-169: art of court; Maguire (1993): art of court

11. Wed. Feb. 15

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Abbasid Caliphs: Palace-Cities and Mosques, c. 750-850, cont.

See previous class

12. Mon. Feb. 20

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Abbasid presentations: architecture and architectural decoration

Abbasid Emirs, Power, Religion and Architecture, 9^th–11^th centuries

•Ettinghausen et. al, 30-36 and 104-116

•CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Behrens-Abouseif (1989), pp.51-57: Ibn Tulun Mosque

13. Wed. Feb. 22

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Abbasid Emirs, Power, Religion and Architecture, 9^th–11^th centuries

•Ettinghausen et. al, 30-36 and 104-116

•CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Behrens-Abouseif (1989), pp.51-57: Ibn Tulun Mosque

Mid-term review

14. Mon. Feb. 27

MID-TERM EXAM

15. Wed. Mar. 1

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Art of the Object: Umayyad and Abbasid

•Ettinghausen et. al 65-79 and 117-130

•CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Golombek (1988) use of textiles; Grabar (1987), pp. 133-169: art of court; Grube (1965), pp. 209-215: Abbasid pottery; Jenkins (1983), pp. 1-12: pottery 7^th-10^th century; Jenkins (1986): glass 7^th-10^th century; Maguire (1993): art of court; Schimmel and Rivolta (1992): art of calligraphy; CB Islamic East: Allan (1988); CB Abbasid: Saba (2012): aesthetics of Abbasid lusterware

16. Mon. Mar. 6

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Art of the Object: Umayyad and Abbasid, cont.

See previous class

Discussion of Term paper; please come having read guidelines

17. Wed. Mar. 8

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Umayyad cities and palace-cities of Al-Andalus

•Ettinghausen et. al Prologue Part I: "Historical and Cultural Setting" (bkgrd) and Chapter 3, pp. 80-91

•CB: Islamic West: Al Andalus (1992), cat. #s 34-40: sculpted architectural elements; Art of Medieval Spain (1993), cat. #s 30-33, 35, 36: sculpted architectural elements; Dodds (1993): Islam Christianity and problem of religious Art; Grabar (1992): intro first 4 centuries Islamic Spain; Jenkins (1993) Al-Andalus: Crucible of Mediterranean; Khoury, N.N. (1993): Great Mosque Cordova meaning; Vallejo Triano (1992): Madinat al-Zahra and caliphal power

18. Mon. Mar. 13

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Umayyad cities and palace-cities in of Al-Andalus, cont.

See previous class

19. Wed. Mar. 15

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Required Reading:

Luxury objects of Al Andalus, 10^th and 11^th century, cont.

See previous class

Eastern Islamic Lands c. 1000-1250: architecture and architectural decoration

• Ettinghausen et. al, Ch. 5, 140-165

PAPER ABSTRACT and Annotated Bibliography DUE

21. Wed. Mar. 22

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Eastern Islamic Lands c. 1000-1250: art of the object and art of the book

• Ettinghausen et. al Prologue Part II: "Historical ad Cultural Setting" (bkgrd) and Ch. 5, 165-183

The Victorious Caliphate: the Sh’ia Empire of the Fatimids, 910-1171: architecture of cities and mosques

•Ettinghausen et. al Ch. 6, Part I, 184-200

CB Fatimid: Behrens-Abouseif (1989), pp. 58-77: Fatimid architecture; Bloom (1983): mosque of al-Hakim; Bloom, J. (2008): Fatimid Cairo; Grabar (1999): Shi’a element Fatimid art; Williams (1983): 37-52: cult of Alid saints and Mosque of al-Aqmar

22. Mon. Mar. 27

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Victorious Caliphate: the Sh’ia Empire of the Fatimids, 910-1171: architecture of cities and mosques, cont.

See previous class

23. Wed. Mar. 29

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

Fatimid Presentations: architecture and architectural Decoration

The Victorious Caliphate: the Sh’ia Empire of the Fatimids, 910-1171: the art of the object

•Ettinghausen et. al, Ch. 6, Part I, 200-215

•CB Fatimid: Bloom (1985): origins Fatimid art; Bloom, J. (2008): Fatimid Cairo; Ettinghausen (1942): Fatimid painting; Grabar (1969): subject matter Fatimid art; Grabar (1977): Fatimid art in context of Islamic art; Jenkins, M. (1968): Fatimid pottery •CB Islamic A & A, History and Culture general: Behrens-Abouseif (1989), Ch. 5: Fatimid Cairo; Golombek (1988) use of textiles

Mon. Apr. 3-Fri. Apr. 7

NO CLASSES: SPRING BREAK

24. Mon. Apr. 10

Required Reading:

Suggested Reading:

The Victorious Caliphate: the Sh’ia Empire of the Fatimids, 910-1171: the art of the object, cont.

See previous class

25. Wed. Apr. 12

Required Reading:

Central Islamic Lands c. 1000-1250 (Part II= minus Fatimids):architecture and architectural decoration

• Ettinghausen et. al, Ch. 6, Part II, 215-243

Mon. Apr. 17

NO CLASS: EASTER MONDAY

26. Wed. Apr. 19

Required Reading:

Central Islamic Lands c. 1000-1250: architecture and architectural decoration, cont.

See previous class

27. Mon. Apr. 24

Required Reading:

Central Islamic Lands c. 1000-1250 (Part II= minus Fatimids): the art of the object and the art of the book

• Ettinghausen et. al, Ch. 6, Part II, 243-265

28. Wed. 19

Required Reading:

Central Islamic Lands c. 1000-1250: the art of the object and the art of the book, cont.

See previous class

************LOOSE ENDS / REVIEW FOR FINAL*********

TERM PAPER DUE

Final Exam week

Apr. 29-May 5 (minus May 1)

***************Final EXAM**************

day, time and classroom TBA