Deck 9: Islamic Art

Question 1

____________ appears on works in many media throughout the history of Islamic art.

A) Blazons
B) Tugras
C) Calligraphy
D) Images of holy figures

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is commonly used as a decorative element in Islamic architecture?

A) Fire
B) Sand
C) Water
D) Sky

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Muslim place of worship is called the __________.

A) cathedral
B) basilica
C) mosque
D) temple

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The four-iwan plan of Islamic architecture was used for schools, palaces, and especially ____________.

A) madrasas
B) minbars
C) gardens
D) mosques

Question 5

Sinan's crowning achievement as an architect was the __________.

A) Hall of the Abencerrajes
B) Madrasa-mausoleum-mosque
C) Mosque of Sultan Selim
D) Court of the Lions

Question 6

The basic design of a mosque derived from what building prototype?

A) the Dome of the Rock
B) Muhammad's home
C) the Roman atrium
D) ziggurats in the ancient Near East

Question 7

Islam's aniconic tradition can be traced to ______________.

A) Persian artistic traditions
B) the Ten Commandments Moses received on Mt. Sinai
C) Muhammad's destruction of pagan idols in the Kaaba
D) Islamic emphasis on the written word

Question 8

The wall of the prayer hall that is closest to Mecca is called the __________ wall.

A) qibla
B) hypostyle
C) surah
D) mihrab

Question 9

Which element(s) of the Prayer Hall at the Great Mosque of Cordoba were recycled from the Christian church previously at the site?

A) the horseshoe arches
B) the columns and capitals
C) the patterned mosaics
D) all of the above

Question 10

How do the mosaics in the central dome of the Great Mosque of Cordoba demonstrate cultural and artistic exchange in the medieval period?

A) Just as with Christian churches, they probably symbolize a celestial canopy.
B) They were installed by a Byzantine master sent by the emperor in Constantinople.
C) The imagery was appropriated from pagan and Christian sources.
D) All of the above

Question 11

As the Umayyads established their empire, they developed their structures in the style of __________ and __________ architecture.

A) Roman; Byzantine
B) Greek; Byzantine
C) Muslim; Greek
D) Roman; Islamic

Question 12

Which of the following is similar in purpose to the mihrab in a mosque?

A) the shrine holding the Torah scrolls in a synagogue
B) the apse of a Christian church
C) the frame for a sculpture of a god in Roman architecture
D) all of the above

Question 13

The invasion of the ____________ caused a dramatic rift in the Central and Eastern Islamic world.

A) Mongols
B) Visigoths
C) Crusaders
D) Umayyads

Question 14

The Islamic Mosque and Cultural Center in Rome reconciles Islamic cultural identity with ___________.

A) Byzantine
B) ancient Roman art
C) Christianity
D) modernity

Question 15

An advantage of the hypostyle hall in mosque architecture is_____________.

A) it provides shelter from rain
B) it provides adequate ventilation for large numbers of congregants
C) it does not emphasize any hierarchy among worshippers
D) it can be extended as the congregation grows in size

Question 16

How is Islamic religious belief reflected in the art of calligraphy?

A) Writing continues to extend the word of God
B) The written word promotes literacy and intellectual development.
C) Calligraphy serves as a common visual language uniting the Muslim community.
D) The variety of cursive scripts reflects the diversity of Islamic culture.

Question 17

A key feature distinguishing the Dome of the Rock from Early Christian and Byzantine buildings is ______________.

A) the central-plan structure
B) the decorated exterior
C) the use of glass mosaic
D) the use of abstract imagery

Question 18

The holy book of Islam is called the __________.

A) Qur'an
B) Revelations
C) Maqamat
D) The Prophet

Question 19

The interiors of Muslim homes often used __________in textiles, tiled walls, and carpets, such as the Wagner Carpet , to bring the beauty of nature indoors.

A) arabesques
B) natural motifs
C) inscriptions from the Qur'an
D) medallion motifs

Question 20

Which of the following was NOT a part of the palace complex at Alhambra?

A) a mosque
B) a madrasa
C) a mirador
D) a chahar bagh garden plan

Question 21

Early Qur'an manuscripts ______________ because they were shared by multiple readers simultaneously.

A) had only three to five lines per
B) tugras
C) tiraz
D) barakas

Question 22

In Sultan Muhammad's The "Court of Gayumars" the king elevated above a mountaintop is surrounded by ______________.

A) the prophet Muhammad and his family
B) members of his family and court
C) angels
D) figures involved in various activities

Question 23

What material was commonly used to produce exquisite lamps, lit from within by oil and wick, for illumination in mosques?

A) vellum
B) glass
C) ceramic
D) brass

Question 24

What decorative feature of the Minbar from the Kutubiya Mosque in Marrakesh reflects its original architectural surroundings?

A) the stair risers representing horseshoe arches atop columns with ivory capitals and bases
B) the wooden marquetry with strapwork in a geometric pattern
C) the swirling vine motif carved into the wooden panels
D) all of the above

Question 25

Figurative imagery is most common in what type of Islamic art?

A) illuminated pages of the Qur'an
B) palaces and manuscripts
C) glass mosaics
D) architectural ornament

Question 26

Under the Ottoman rulers, elaborate _______were used on coins, seals, buildings, and imperial edicts that supplemented Muslim law to denote the sultan's authority.

A) firmans
B) tugras
C) tiraz
D) barakas

Question 27

What did the Ottomans do to the church of Hagia Sophia when they conquered Constantinople?

A) destroyed the original structure
B) converted it to an Islamic mosque
C) used it as an administrative building
D) made it into a state museum

Question 28

Islamic metalworking skills are demonstrated in the ____________decorating Baptistery of St. Louis .

A) gold and silver inlay
B) engraved bronze figures
C) silver repousse
D) gold cloisonné

Question 29

Although modeled on the Byzantine church of Hagia Sophia, what is a notable difference in the design of the Mosque of Sultan Selim ?

A) There are no windows at the base of the dome.
B) There is no longitudinal pull toward the apse.
C) The structure employs the horseshoe arches characteristic of Islamic buildings.
D) The ornamental use of muqarnas obscure the dome's physical structure.

Question 30

How are chapter breaks indicated in early Qur'anic manuscripts, including the example in the text ?

A) red marks placed above the dark brown script
B) gold ornamentation around chapter titles and knoblike projections in the left-hand margin
C) page numbers in the lower right-hand margin
D) no breaks are necessary because readers are so familiar with the words

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT included in the decorative program of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem?

A) mosaics depicting symmetrical vine scrolls and trees
B) inscriptions about the building
C) an ambulatory
D) a mihrab

Question 32

Which ornamental form typically employs marble or other colorful stone?

A) chini khana
B) mosaic
C) ablaq masonry
D) strapwork

Question 33

A(n) __________was a college for religious and legal studies.

A) minbar
B) madrasa
C) imam
D) iwan

Question 34

Islamic artists who used what media were most highly esteemed?

A) ceramics
B) carpet making
C) calligraphy
D) miniature painting

Question 35

What language serves as a powerful unifying force within Islam?

A) English
B) Latin
C) Arabic
D) Farsi

Question 36

Lusterware refers to a technique used to make ceramic surfaces resemble_________.

A) glass
B) precious metals
C) enamel
D) porcelain

Question 37

Bihzad's representation of the story of Joseph and Potiphar's wife was influenced by the Timurid poet __________.

A) Abbas
B) Bahram Gur
C) Timur
D) Jami

Question 38

The elaborately decorated tombs at Shah-I Zinda in Samarkand employ the modular plan and tall blue double-shelled domes, characteristic of architecture built during the __________ dynasty.

A) Nasrid
B) Timurid
C) Mughal
D) Safavid

Question 39

What type of decoration is used for the Kaaba in Mecca?

A) elaborate mosaics with Qur'anic inscriptions
B) narrative reliefs commemorating Muhammad's repudiation of its pagan use
C) a black textile embroidered with Qur'anic verses in gold
D) none of the above

Question 40

The invention of __________led to the development of increasingly elaborate scripts for use in calligraphy.

A) paper
B) movable type
C) the fountain pen
D) the codex

Question 41

The huge tower from which the faithful are called to pray is called a __________.

A) minaret
B) mihrab
C) qibla
D) masjid

Question 42

A __________ arch is one that has flat sides and slopes where other arches are curved.

A) horseshoe
B) keel
C) mina' i
D) muqarnas

Question 43

The Court of the Lions is divided into a garden form called a ______________.

A) four-iwan mosque
B) garden carpet
C) chahar bagh
D) joggled voussoirs

Question 44

Islamic painters created small-scale paintings called ______________that were collected by the wealthy and placed in albums.

A) miniatures
B) mina' i
C) spolia
D) iwans

Question 45

__________ manifested Islam's view of itself as completing and superseding Judaism and Christianity.

A) Alhambra
B) Dome of the Rock
C) Mosque of Sultan Selim
D) The Masjid-i Shah

Question 46

The two basic types of carpets are flat weave and pile, or ________carpets.

A) stretched
B) flattened
C) knotted
D) ornamental

Question 47

Which culture was most influential on the art and architectural of the Safavid dynasty?

A) Byzantine
B) Roman
C) Spanish
D) Timurid

Question 48

Like Christians and Jews, Muslims are considered "People of the ______."

A) Book
B) New Testament
C) Scroll
D) Burning Bush

Question 49

The __________ is an enclosure in front of the mihrab for the ruler and other dignitaries.

A) muqarnas
B) maqsura
C) mirador
D) kaaba

Question 50

_____________ is a blocky, angular formal script which may have developed first for carved or woven inscriptions.

A) Minbar
B) Tugras
C) Kufic
D) Qibla

Question 51

When the Umayyads replaced the Abbasids in 750, they moved their capital from Damascus to __________.

A) Medina
B) Cordoba
C) Baghdad
D) Samarkand

Question 52

In the ninth century, Islamic potters developed a means of producing a lustrous metallic surface on their ceramics called _________.

A) mina'i
B) lusterware
C) tugras
D) ablaq masonry

Question 53

Although paper became a popular medium for manuscripts, Qur'ans were usually written on __________ and vellum.

A) carpet
B) silk
C) ceramics
D) parchment

Question 54

Islam's focus on the study of the Qur'an promoted a high level of ___________among both men and women.

A) decorated manuscripts
B) patronage
C) religious devotion
D) literacy

Question 55

The language of the Qur'an is __________.

A) Mandarin
B) Greek
C) Hebrew
D) Arabic

Question 56

Muslims date their history as beginning with the _________ or emigration.

A) baraka
B) hajj
C) hijira
D) tugras

Question 57

In the citadel of buildings in the Alhambra, the windows that frame specifically intentioned views are called __________.

A) muqarnas
B) iwans
C) miradors
D) masjids

Question 58

The word __________ means "submission to God's will."

A) Qur'an
B) Islam
C) Torah
D) Maqamat

Question 59

One of the finest of the Umayyad surviving mosques is the __________ in Spain.

A) The Masjid-i Shah
B) Mosque at New Gournia
C) Great Mosque of Cordoba
D) The Kaaba

Question 60

The Mina' i Bowl with Bahram Gur and Azada represents Bahram Gur's ______________.

A) interest in ancient customs
B) establishment of new laws
C) religious devotion
D) prowess in love and hunting

Question 61

How does the Great Mosque of Kairouan reflect the early mosque form, but with new additions?

Question 62

In the Lusterware Jar , emphasis is placed on the _____________.

A) enigmatic figures dressed in hooded garments
B) arabesque ornament
C) surrounding inscriptions
D) representation of mosques

Question 63

Why was the site of the Great Mosque in Cordoba so appropriate?

Question 64

What is the difference between a Shi'ite Muslim and a Sunni Muslim?

Question 65

How was Islam founded?

Question 66

In the mid-twelfth century, what prompted the use of brass for inlaid work?

Question 67

Why did the use of Muslim tombs increase after the eleventh century?

Question 68

How do Muslim manuscript

Question 69

____________ are earthenware objects that employ a clear lead glaze over a black inscription on a white slip ground.

A) Strapwork
B) Luster ware
C) Epigraphic ware
D) Mina' i ware

Question 70

Why is Islamic art devoid of figurative images?

Question 71

How was the Great Mosque of Isfahan altered to be more complex?

Question 72

What attributes make the Alhambra so beautiful?

Question 73

Why were Islamic textiles an important means of disseminating artistic styles and techniques?

Question 74

What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

Question 75

Why was Islamic art and architecture so diverse?

Question 76

In the tenth century, the two kingdoms of the Islamic world were the Abbasids of Iraq and the Fatimid Shi'ite caliph ruling ____________.

A) Tunisia
B) Egypt
C) Granada
D) Cordoba

Question 77

___________ was the most famous painter of the Herat school.

A) Kamal al-Din Bihzad
B) Jami
C) Sultan Muhammad
D) Shah Tahmisp

Question 78

___________ ware is the technique of multicolor ceramic overglaze painting developed by the Persians.

A) Miradors
B) Muqarnas
C) Mina' i
D) Luster

Question 79

Why is the madrasa-mausoleum-mosque in Cairo a public display of piety, personal wealth, and status?

Question 80

What were the two roles of the written word in the Islamic culture?