Islamic Art in Oman
Abdulrahman al-Salimi, Heinz Gaube, Lorenz Korn
with contributions by Faysal al-Hafiyan, Ruba Kanaan, Birgit Mershen and Seth M.N. Priestman
English, bound, 374 pages
25 cm x 31.6 cm
Al Roya Press and Publishing House
2nd 2010 edition
A scientific survey of nearly all the topics of Islamic art in Oman. Thanks to the scientific backgrounds of the authors, architecture and craftsmanship are emphasized more than calligraphy and music, but this does not detract from the valuable compilation and synopsis of this topic. Anyone involved with the Arab world with primary interest in Omani art should consider this book as required reading.
Contents:
Foreword Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE
Historical Introduction Heinz Gaube Before Islam. - The early Islamic period. - The middle Islamic Period. - Yaariba and Al Bu Said rule.
CHAPTER TWO
Islamic Art Lorenz Korn Introduction. - Islamic art in different regions. - Islamic Art through the ages. - Early Islam and Umayyads (1st-2nd/7-8th century). The Abbasid imperial period (2nd-4th/7-l0th century). Regional centres of artistic production (5-9th/11-15th century).-Art under the Timurids and the early modern empires (9-12th/15-18th century).-Analyzing and understanding Islamic art.
CHAPTER THREE
Settlements Heinz Gaube Introduction. - Settlements on the coast. - Settlement clusters without wall. - Settlement clusters with a wall / settlements with a wall. - Mountain settlements.
CHAPTER FOUR
Religious Architecture Lorenz Korn Introduction. - Mosques. - Traditional mosques. - Contemporary mosque architecture. Memorial buildings.
CHAPTER FIVE
Omani Quranic Manuscripts Abdulrahman al-Salimi and Faysal al-Hafiyan Introduction. - Early manuscripts. - Inks. - Types of script. - Decoration. - Binding.
CHAPTER SIX
Fortifications and Palaces Lorenz Korn
Introduction. - Single tower fortifications. - Walled enclosures of the plains. - The large forts. - The palace of Jabrin.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Residential Buildings Heinz Gaube General observations. - Regional examples: The northern coastal region. - Mountain settlements. - Settlements in the Dakhiliya. - Settlements in the Sharqiya. - Settlements in Dhofar.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Carved-Stucco Mihrabs of Oman. Form, Style and Influence Ruba Kanaan Historical references and contemporary survey. - Stylistic analysis of the sixteenth-century carved stucco mihrabs in Oman. - A Sixteenth- century synthesis: The mihrabs of al-Humaimi and the Mashmal group.-Stylistic influences: Some preliminary observations. - Conclusion: A distinctive Omani style.
CHAPTER NINE
Islamic Pottery in Oman Seth M. N. Priestman Introduction. - Archaeological research in Oman. - The first centuries of Islam. - The Samarra horizon. Post-Abbasid innovations. - Late Islamic transformation. -Conclusion.
CHAPTER TEN
Woodwork Heinz Gaube Introduction. - Types of wooden objects. - Types of decoration.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Metalwork Heinz Gaube Introduction. - Techniques of production. - Types of objects. - Types of decoration.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Art of Arms in Oman Birgit Mershen Traditional weaponry - past and present. - Weaponry in Oman\'s archaeological and rock art record. - Types of arms no longer used in Oman. - Icons of Omani armory. - Omani saif and kittara. - Omani khanjar. - Rifles as part of traditional weaponry in Oman
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Jewellery Birgit Mershen
Concluding Remark: Islamic Art in Oman and in the Gulf Region. Regional Interdependence and Omani Identity Lorenz Korn
Bibliography