Deck 18: Arts of Islam and of Africa

Question 1

Islam came into being during the early part of the ________ centuryC.E.

A) 1^st
B) 3^rd
C) 5^th
D) 7^th
E) 9^th

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The minaret of the Kairouan Mosque in Tunisia was modeled on:

A) a gatehouse in Mecca.
B) a Roman lighthouse.
C) a Byzantine church.
D) a towering palm trunk.
E) a passage from the Qur'an.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Minkisi that are shaped like fierce hunters, believed by the people of the Kongo to seek out and punish wrongdoers, are called:

A) nowo.
B) masjid.
C) muqarnas.
D) nkisi.
E) minkondi.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Much of the artwork from Africa is lost to us because:

A) it was stolen and lost by Spanish pirates.
B) no records were kept of its whereabouts.
C) Islamic armies destroyed it.
D) it was made of perishable material, such as wood.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 5

Muhammad's emigration from Mecca to Medina is known as the:

A) qibla.
B) Qur'an.
C) hijra.
D) ijele.
E) nkisi.

Question 6

________, used to mark the entry to a reception hall in royal palaces, was adapted by Persian architects in the design of mosques.

A) An apse
B) A minaret
C) A qibla
D) A muqarnas
E) An iwan

Question 7

Cultural exchange between Islam and Byzantium is exemplified by the ________ in the Great Mosque at Córdoba, Spain.

A) mosaics
B) textiles
C) iwan
D) pointed arches
E) muqarnas

Question 8

________ appear at funerals of important Igbo men of Nigeria.

A) Nowo
B) Minkisi
C) Iwan
D) Ijele
E) Minkondi

Question 9

The smooth surfaces and D-shaped eyes are characteristic of works from the culture known as:

A) Berber. B. Nok.
C) Yoruba.
D) Islamic.
E) Persian.

Question 10

The people of Kongo use containers called ________ to hold materials that aid in rituals for harnessing the powers of the dead.

A) nowo
B) minkisi
C) muqarnas
D) ijele
E) iwan

Question 11

Which of the following cultures survives today?

A) Nubian
B) Nok
C) Etruscan
D) Benin
E) Byzantine

Question 12

Because of its connection with the act of prayer, ________ became the most highly regarded art in the Islamic world.

A) sculpture
B) calligraphy
C) architecture
D) painting
E) textiles

Question 13

The most famous Nubian kingdom was ________, which lasted over 1,400 years.

A) Lower Congo
B) Nok
C) Kush
D) Mali
E) Benin

Question 14

A ram's head was used as a symbol of a sun god in the cultures of both Egypt and:

A) Kush.
B) Persia.
C) Mecca.
D) Islam.
E) Nok.

Question 15

Which of the following became an important device for Islamic artists as a result of Islamic doctrine forbidding images of animate beings in religious contexts?

A) Decorative script
B) Geometric patterns
C) Stylized plant forms
D) All of these.
E) None of these answers is correct.

Question 16

The widespread influence of Persian architectural style can been found in:

A) India's Taj Mahal.
B) France's Chartres Cathedral.
C) Benin's palace of King Ovonramwen.
D) All of these.
E) None of these answers is correct.

Question 17

One important aspect of ________ that gets "lost in translation" when viewed in a museum is that they are created for use in ceremonies involving groups of people in motion.

A) Islamic mosaics
B) Persian textiles
C) African masks
D) illustrations from the Qur'an
E) None of these answers is correct.

Question 18

Bahram Gur and the Princess in the Black Pavilion demonstrates that:

A) illustrations of people are allowed in secular books in Islamic culture.
B) the artist Shaykhazada disobeyed Islamic law by portraying people.
C) not all Persian art of the 16^th century is Islamic.
D) Islamic law permits the depiction of people in religious murals.
E) all Islamic art is nonfigurative.

Question 19

The Berbers were originally from:

A) Arabia.
B) Persia.
C) Byzantium.
D) Africa.
E) India.

Question 20

What is the name of the holy book of Islam?

A) the Qur'an
B) ijele
C) the hijra
D) the Alhambra
E) Haft Manzar

Question 21

Discuss the representation of Europeans and other non-Africans in the arts, especially the masquerades, of Africa.

Question 22

___________ are one of the most characteristic of Islamic architectural ornaments.

A) Minarets
B) Iwans
C) Qibla
D) Muqarnas
E) Glazed tiles

Question 23

Consider the Seated Couple sculpture of the Dogon culture. Discuss what this work reveals about gender roles and the status of the family within the culture in which it was created.

Question 24

Compare and contrast the mosaics found in mosques with those in a Byzantine church, explaining the cultural and doctrinal reasons for the differences.

Question 25

Consider the Congregational Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia. Discuss briefly its design, its religious functions, and the origins of its forms.

Question 26

Discuss the use and significance of proportion and scale in Benin sculpture.

Question 27

Discuss how the Islamic architecture was colored by the culture of Persia, giving examples of architecture in the text.

Question 28

Explain the symbolism of Yoruba or Dogon sculpture, referring to specific aspects of a work or works to illustrate your statements.

Question 29

Discuss the art in Africa as an agent to engage spiritual powers, giving examples of specific art forms that allow this interaction.

Question 30

Discuss the similarities and differences between Egyptian and other African cultures in history and art.

Question 31

With reference to the Temne nowo masquerade, discuss the purpose of masks in African cultures, highlighting spiritual and communal uses. How have outsiders to African culture misinterpreted the meanings of African masks?

Question 32

Explain the nature of calligraphy as an important form of art in Islamic cultures.