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This oil painting is a portrait of Nadir Shah. Nadir Shah was the founder of the Iranian Afsharid empire, and was assassinated before he could receive his Topkapi Dagger.
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A Mamluk-style basin made with brass, overlaid with silver and gold. This basin was liked used for washing, and based on inscriptions, was intended for a high-ranking officer of Mamluk Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir.
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A large basin made of raised brass featuring silver and gold inlays. It is made with a blazon of the Mamluk Sultan, al-Nasir Muhammad, with inscriptions attributing the basin in his honor.
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The Blue Qur'an is one of the most famous manuscripts. It is thirty-one by forty-one centimeters. Each folio is made of sheepskin parchment and is covered in gold leaf text.
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One of the oldest examples of a manuscript that has a similar shade to the Blue Qur’an is the Codex Rossanensis which is known for its purple coloring. Scholars thought that Tyrian was used to dye the parchment, but there is no evidence for this.
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Purpureus Petropolitanus is a Greek manuscript. It was produced at least two centuries before the Blue Qur’an. It is known for its purple shade.
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The similarities between the Bible of Cava (specifically in the color of the parchments and the ruling) and the Blue Qur'an hint at the two influencing each other, and subsequently leading to implications that the person who commissioned the Blue Qur’an was aware of the Bible of Cava and aimed to create their own manuscript that would rival it.
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An image progression of the evolving and evolved Ear Dagger style.
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A second sword of the Prophet Muhammad, also ornamented with gold
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These granite pillars support a significant amount of the downward force of the weight of the dome and the rest of the structure.
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An interior angle of the famous dome of the rock.
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This image shows a view into the Prophet's Mantle.
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This is the interior of the central dome of the Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. It shows the main Iznik tile work as well as the windows and arches inside the mosque.
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This box, housed in the Topkapi Palace, holds a relic of the Prophet Muhammad.
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This plan details the architectural designs of the Byzantine Church Hagia Sophia.
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The shrine is a final resting place for the eigth Shia muslim imam. It is considered one of the most significant religious sites in iran and visited by millions yearly.
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The carpet is a large, significant Persian carpet woven back in the 16th century. It is well known for its intricate design and craftsmanship, considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
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Mimar Sinan was the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire during the rule of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. During his time as chief architect Sinan created a number of impressive imperial mosques and public works such as the Süleymaniye Mosque.
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The Court of Lions is a central courtyard in the Alhambra palace. It is well known for its tile work and central fountain with twelve stone lions.
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A large dome covering the central area of the prayer hall in the Mosque of Cordoba. It is well known for its beauty and one of the greatest pieces of architecture in Spain.
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This specialized curved dagger, a jambiya, was made in Albania. The dagger is unsheathed, revealing the sharp steel blade that contrasts with the heavily ornated hilt and sheath.
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Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1520-1566 CE. Under his rule, construction of the Süleymaniye Mosque was done by Ottoman chief architect Mimar Sinan.
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A Turkish helmet from the late 15th to early 16th century. Made of steel with silver decorations of religious inscriptions and natural beauty
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Built during the Byzantine rule of Istanbul, the Hagia Sophia is a church-turned-mosque known for its size and ingenuity during the time it was built.
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Light green and burnt orange nephrite jade hilt, steel blade inlaid with gold.