ISLAMIC WOODWORK

The most famous example of Umayyad woodwork is the multi-pieced Minbar of the Caravan Mosque made in the 11th century and presently kept in the Cairo Museum, and the woodwork in the El Hakim Mosque reveal the most interesting examples of Islamic woodwork. In addition to ivory and rock crystal artifacts, items made of wood are undoubtedly among the most attractive artifacts of the Fatimids dynasty. Wooden pieces are astounding in the delicacy of their workmanship and the craftsmen's perfect mastery of the materials. Various woods like pine, ebony, cypress, teak, box, and acacia were imported into Egypt.
 

Minbar of the Qaitbay Mosque in Cairo, 1473, engraving from a drawing of 1877. The pulpit (minbar) of the mosque where prayers are held on Fridays, usually wooden and made in the form of a flight of steps, originally served not only as a place for the preacher to stand but as a throne or judgment seat for Muhammad and the caliphs, who were political as well as religious leaders of the community.
 

The magnificent gate displayed in the Metropolitan Museum and the woodwork displayed in the Cairo Museum indicates Fatimids decorations were oriented  towards animal motifs in later periods. Most of the carving was done in workshops which had maintained the skills of the Tulunids Dynasty. The Depictions of human beings and animals are surrounded by tendrils or densely interlacing patterns through which plant motifs and calligraphic bands are added. Carved decorated-beams on the ceilings of palaces and mosques, panels for doors and walls, Minbars and caskets, and small portable Mihrab were also made and ornamented with carving -- patterns and themes used for wood carving are identical with those found in the work on ivories.

This style later influenced the Mamluk art and decorations were enriched with overall designs. Despite the transitory nature of wood, numerous examples of Seljuk woodwork have survived, among them the Minbar (pulpit), folding Koran stands, cenotaphs, doors, shutters, and a throne. Wood carving was already being executed in the kundekari technique by the middle of the 12th century. Apart from geometric and floral designs there is also evidence of a strong interest in the representation of living creatures. Some wood inscribed with Kufic writing are found in Tashkent and Samarkand Museums and in private collections. Mongolian woodwork of the 13th & 14th centuries are also very rare. Wooden doors with Kufic inscriptions shown great similarities with stone decorations in the architecture of the period.

Seljuk's considered woodwork very important and they have produced many works of art such as pulpits, reading desks, chests of drawers in addition to the architectural elements ornamenting buildings. Geometrical forms and plant motifs were often used in the Seljuk woodwork where carving and latticework were widely applied. The motifs of peacocks, King Solomon's seal and cypress trees were largely used in the Seljuks woodwork.

The Seljuks woodwork influenced the early Ottomans woodwork of the 14th & 15th centuries and various works were started to be made by new techniques and with new decorative elements. Besides carving and latticework, dovetail method was widely used and enriched woodwork was made also with the addition of auxiliary elements such as (mother of pearls), tortoise shells and ivory. Floral motifs were often used in addition to Rumi compositions. Beginning with the 16^th century, the Rumi decoration on woodwork gained a much more complex appearance by uniting with different floral patterns found in the similarly decorated tiles. Although the forms used in the 16th century woodwork were continued during the 17th century, new patterns were created in decorations.
 

Kundekari Actual kundekari consists of a framework holding in place polygonal, rhomboid, or star-shaped panels which are fixed together by means of tongue & groove construction without any additional fastenings such as pins or glue.

Rumi An influential mystic and scholar, Rumi wrote over 50,000 verses. Of these, over 30,000 are lyrical expressions of mystical love preserved in playful and highly popular verse. His writings have enchanted, inspired, and enlightened Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists. His poetry celebrates the sacred in everyday existence and transcends boundaries of time, place, and religion to speak to all people.

ISLAMIC ART

Carved wooden column from the Tash Khauli Palace in Khiva, 1830-1832 -- Khiva has always been famous for its architectural wood carvings. The best examples to be found are columns and doors, where the carving is often extremely and masterfully executed.

Folding Koran stand, 13th-century, Berlin Museum for Islamische Kunst. This folding Koran stand, crafted from a single piece of wood, is one of relatively few examples from the Seljuk period. Its decoration is concentrated exclusively on the outer surfaces. The rich carving here skillfully combines geometric and floral motifs, and the central area is raised and decorated with an interlacing Kufic inscription.

Koran box, Cairo, early 14th-century, Berlin, Museum for Islamic Art -- This wooden box held a 30-volume edition of the Koran. It is paneled with brass sheets decorated with verses from the Koran and arabesques inlaid in gold and silver. The lock bears the names of two master craftsmen, Muhammad ibn Sunqur Al-Baghdadi and Hagg Yusuf, who carried out many commissions for Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad.

Inlaid panel, 10th century, lacquered wood, wood and ivory or bone intarsia work. Cairo, Museum of Islamic Art -- This fragment of intarsia paneling is evidence of the great skill of Fatimids culture. The middle of the medallion shows an animal being attacked by a hawk. The bodies of the animals are adorned with ivory intarsia work. The remains of an inscription can be seen above left.

Frieze of figures, fragment from the Fatimids Western Palace, Cairo, 11th century. Cairo, Museum of Islamic Art -- Restoration work on the mausoleum in the Maristan al-Qalawun brought to light several wooden friezes of this kind. They were very probably from the Western Palace in Cairo, which was abandoned after the fall of the dynasty. The old parts of the building were reused, but fitted into their new locations in such a way that the decorated areas were not visible. The frieze shows members of the royal family enjoying music, hunting, and dancing.