Brill - The Great Mosque of Damascus - Umayyad Visual Culture

Explore the history of one of the most significant religious structures in the world. This scholarly work from Brill examines the Great Mosque of Damascus, built in the early eighth century by the Umayyad caliph al-Walid b. Abd al-Malik. Through a careful study of textual, visual, and archaeological evidence, this book reconstructs the formal and decorative features of the Umayyad mosque. It places the building within its urban context and examines how it functioned as part of al-Walid's large-scale architectural patronage program. Readers will learn about the role of religious architecture within an official visual discourse, looking at both intracultural and intercultural functions. This volume is an essential resource for students and historians interested in Islamic history, architectural evolution, and the visual culture of the Umayyad period.