Stealing from the Saracens

How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe

Stealing from the Saracens
Diana Darke
RRP:
NZ$ 84.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 76.49
Hardback
h216 x 138mm - 328pg
20 Aug 2020 UK
International import eta 10-19 days
9781787383050
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
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 recognisable 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 centres 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.
'As exhilarating as it is learned, this splendidly illustrated book shows how our cultures--including our religious cultures--interact and interweave in ways that challenge all kinds of assumptions we might make about our history. By studying our past, Darke poses essential questions about the possibility of a shared and humane civilisation in the future.' -- Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury
'Diana Darke writes about Syria and its cultural heritage with love, clarity and authority.' -- Sir Michael Palin
'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
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.
Status: No local stock, title imported to order
ISBN-13: 9781787383050
Published: 20 Aug 2020
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: C Hurst & Co Publishers
Publisher: C Hurst & Co Publishers
Format: Hardback
Height: 216mm
Width: 138mm
Pages: 328

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