October 21, 2020

Book | Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe

Mavi Boncuk | 

Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe by Diana Darke[1]

November 1, 2020

9781787383050 

480pp, 142 colour illust.

A Hurst Publication

A revealing history of Islamic architecture's influence on Europe's cathedrals, palaces and public buildings.

Comprehensively illustrated (16pp colour plate section).

While the legacy of Islam is in danger of being airbrushed out of Western history, its traces can still be detected in some of Europe's most recognizable monuments, from Notre-Dame to St Paul's Cathedral

Includes a unique chapter of illustrations of iconic European buildings, marked up to show exactly which elements originated in the Middle East.

It is the first time anyone has attempted this kind of "big-picture" architectural study of medieval European Gothic architecture and its 19th c revival, tracing its origins back to the Middle East.

Christopher Wren's theory that "the Gothic style should rightly be called the Saracenic style" is carefully analysed from the start, then interwoven into the subsequent chapters and the conclusion.

Against a backdrop of Islamophobia, Europeans are increasingly airbrushing from history their cultural debt to the Muslim world. But this legacy lives on in some of Europe's most recognizable buildings, from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Houses of Parliament.

This beautifully illustrated book reveals the Arab and Islamic roots of Europe's architectural heritage. Diana Darke traces ideas and styles from vibrant Middle Eastern centers like Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo, via Muslim Spain, Venice and Sicily into Europe. She describes how medieval crusaders, pilgrims and merchants encountered Arab Muslim culture on their way to the Holy Land; and explores more recent artistic interaction between Ottoman and Western cultures, including Sir Christopher Wren's inspirations in the "Saracen" style of Gothic architecture.

Recovering this long yet overlooked history of architectural "borrowing," Stealing from the Saracens is a rich tale of cultural exchange, shedding new light on Europe's greatest landmarks.

In her new book Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe, MEI non-resident scholar Diana Darke examines the centuries long history of cultural interaction between the Middle East and Europe, and the legacy this exchange has left on some of Europe’s most recognizable buildings. Described by The Guardian as “exhilarating and meticulously researched,” Stealing from the Saracens is a rich tale of cultural exchange, which aims to bring an enhanced appreciation of some of the West's most iconic landmarks.

Europeans—and Americans—are increasingly airbrushing from history their cultural debts to the Muslim world. Yet the architectural evidence is clear to see in some of Europe’s and America’s most recognizable buildings, from Paris’ Notre Dame and London’s House of Parliament, to New York City’s St. John the Divine and Washington DC’s Capitol Dome. 

Introduction

Chapter 1 Christopher Wren: The Arch-Synthesiser
Chapter 2 Gothic Architecture: "The Saracen Style"
Chapter 3 The Pre-Islamic Inheritance: Pagan and Early Christian Architecture in Syria
Chapter 4 The First Islamic Empire: The Umayyads in Syria (661-750)
Chapter 5 Andalusia: The Umayyads in Spain (756-1492)
Chapter 6 The Abbasid and Fatimid Caliphates (750-1258)
Chapter 7 Gateways to Europe (800-1400)
Chapter 8 Architectural Influences from the Seljuks, the Ottomans and Sinan (1075-1924)
Chapter 9 The Revivals-Neo-Gothic, Neo-Saracenic, Neo-Moorish (1717-2026)
Chapter 10 Iconic Buildings of Europe: Images with Key Influences Listed
Conclusion
Diana Darke is an Arabist and cultural expert who has lived and worked in the Middle East for over thirty years. She is the author of The Merchant of Syria: A History of Survival and My House in Damascus: An Inside View of the Syrian Crisis. She tweets as @dianadarke.

[1] Diana Darke (born 6 March 1956) is an author, Middle East cultural writer, Arabist and occasional BBC broadcaster.[1][2][3] Her work has appeared in the Guardian,the Financial Times, the Sunday Times,[9] the Daily Telegraph and Al Araby. She graduated from Wadham College, Oxford, in 1977, where she studied German and Philosophy/Arabic, then went on to work for the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and Racal Electronics Plc as an Arabic consultant. In 2005, Darke purchased a 17th-century courtyard house in the Old City of Damascus.

Publications

Syria, Bradt Travel Guides, 2010, ISBN 978-1-841-62314-6.
Oman, Bradt Travel Guides, 2010, ISBN 978-1-841-62332-0.
North Cyprus, Bradt Travel Guides, 2012, ISBN 978-1-841-62372-6.
Eastern Turkey, Bradt Travel Guides, 2014, ISBN 978-1-841-62490-7
My House in Damascus: An Inside View of the Syrian Crisis, Haus Publishing, 2016, ISBN 978-1-908-32399-6.
The Merchant of Syria: A History of Survival, Hurst Publishers, 2018, ISBN 978-1-84904-940-5.
The Last Sanctuary in Aleppo (co-author), Headline Publishing, 2019, ISBN 978-1-4722-6057-4.Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture shaped Europe, Hurst Publishers, 2020. 

REVIEWS

An exhilarating, meticulously researched book that sheds light on centuries of borrowing, tracing the roots of Europe’s major buildings.’ — The Guardian

‘This persuasive study argues that northern Europe’s greatest gothic buildings are deeply indebted to the Arab world … [it is] a useful reminder of the interconnectedness of civilisation.’ — The Observer

‘Intriguing and eye-opening.’ — Asian Review of Books

‘Diana Darke writes about Syria and its cultural heritage with love, clarity and authority.’ — Sir Michael Palin

‘In this original and enlightening book, Darke takes us on a journey of discovery. From the churches of the “Dead Cities” of Syria to Notre-Dame de Paris, she guides us while sharing her passion for the connections between the cultures of the Middle East and those of Europe.’ — Venetia Porter, Curator of Islamic and Contemporary Middle East Art, British Museum

‘Lively and provocative, this book takes us from Christopher Wren through an exploration of how ideas from the Islamic Middle East profoundly influenced the architecture of Western Europe. Darke’s enthusiasm and love for all things Syrian is apparent on every page. A great read for anyone seeking an alternative viewpoint.’ — Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic, SOAS University of London

‘A fascinating account of the way in which architectural techniques, ideas and aesthetics are actively and explicitly shared between people, indifferently as to whether they happen to be friends or enemies. Darke’s book reveals much that is surprising about the canon of European architecture, telling us how human relations are inevitably shared and forgotten only at their mutual peril.’ — Faisal Devji, Professor of Indian History, University of Oxford


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