Islam and africa

ARTS OF ISLAM AND AFRICA

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

570 – Muhammad Born in Mecca

610 – Muhammad’s Revelation

622 – Muhammad Flees to Medina (Hijra)

632 – Muhammad Dies

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

1st Pillar of Islam: Shahada(Acceptance of God and Muhammad as his Prophet)

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

2nd Pillar of Islam: Salat(Ritual prayer 5x daily)

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

3rd Pillar of Islam: Sawm(Fasting & self control during blessed month of Ramadan)

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

4th Pillar of Islam: Zakat(Giving 2.5% of savings to poor & needy)

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

5th Pillar of Islam: Hajj(Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once)

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

• Star and Crescent symbol• Not traditionally associated with Islam

• Islam instead associated with colors black, red, white, or green

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

ORIGINS OF ISLAM

• Quran• Koran• Qu’ran

• Used calligraphy and intricite design instead of pictures of people/animals

BOOK ART

BOOK ART

DAILY LIFE

MOSQUES AND PALACES

Minaret – calls faithful to prayer 5x daily

MOSQUES AND PALACES

MOSQUES AND PALACES

• Mihrab – empty niche in far wall• Far wall called qibla wall

• Indicates direction of Mecca• Important because all Muslims are to face

direction of Mecca during prayer

MOSQUES AND PALACES

MOSQUES AND PALACES

• Muqarnas

MOSQUES AND PALACES

• Horseshoe arch• Also called Moorish arch

• Or Keyhole arch• Extremely common in Islamic design

MOSQUES AND PALACES

MOSQUES AND PALACES

• Iwan – large vaulted chamber whose pointed archway is set in rectangular frame with two minarets over its corners

• Iwan marks entry to a royal reception hall in Persian Palaces• One iwan on each side of a mosque’s courtyard • Iwan directly across courtyard is qibla iwan

MOSQUES AND PALACES

MOSQUES AND PALACES

• Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain• One of few surviving Islamic Palaces

MOSQUES AND PALACES

MOSQUES AND PALACES

• Kingdom of Kush/Nubia• 3800 BC – 600 AD• Very similar to Egypt

• 2x number of pyramids in Nubia vs. Egypt

NUBIA

“Land of the Bow”

NUBIA

• 1822: Tomb of Queen Amanishakheto

• Destroyed in 1832 by treasure hunters

NUBIA

• One of few treasures recovered from Tomb of Queen Amanishakheto

• Ram’s head represents solar god Amun

NUBIA

Aswan Low Damn

NUBIA

Construction of Aswan High Dam

NUBIA

Deconstruction of Abu Simbel, 1968

NUBIA

• Dihya – Berber Queen• Great war leader

• Little actually known of her life• Witch with gift of prophecy

• Freed her people from a tyrant by marrying him then

murdering him on their wedding night

• Died in battle with sword in hand at age 127

BERBER

BERBER

• Great Friday Mosque, Djenne, Mali

• Built between 1200-1330

• Rebuilt in 1907 in 13th century style

• Sudano-Sahelian style

BERBER

BERBER

Nok art:• Oldest known terracotta statue

in Africa south of Sahara• Triangular “D-shaped” eyes• Pierced eyes, nose, mouth,

ears• Elaborate hairstyles• Flared nostrils

• Ears set back – low and small

NOK

• Empire lasted nearly 600 years• Kings of Benin viewed as sacred beings

• Each king would build an altar to his father• Ikegobo (Altar to the Hand)

• Benin Palace attacked by British in 1897• King’s son allowed to rebuild Palace in 1914

but artwork never returned• Figures often created in bronze, iron, and

ivory

BENIN

• Queen Idia – First Queen mother of Benin• FESTAC Mask

• Future Queen mothers called Iyoba • Kings called Oba

BENIN

YORUBA

• Nkondi • Sub-class of minkisi• Created by nganga

• Hunt down/attack witches and evil-doers• Awaken/enrage them to action by driving

nails and other pieces of iron into the figure

• Ranges in size from tiny to life size• Mirrors allowed them to see enemies approaching and look into the afterworld

KONGO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIJ0ExRHsKo

Islam and africa

Spiritual

Transcript of Islam and africa