"Madinat al-Zahra spotlights the cultural accomplishments of the Umayyads and their capital through architectural elements, luxury goods, pottery, coins, and scientific instruments. These not only showcase how fashions and tastes were shaped through contemporary diplomacy, politics, and trade, but also vividly illustrate the significant cultural impacts of Islamic traditions in al-Andalus. These impacts are explored further in this catalogue, which delves into the pursuits of caliphal court culture such as astronomy, poetry, and medicine, as well as the multicultural nature of society at the time."
"The cultural impacts of Islamic Spain would last long after the reconquest by Christian kingdoms, and would eventually become key aspects of Spanish cultural heritage as we know it today. Who is this book for? This book, written in both English and Spanish, was produced for an exhibition held last year in New York City. It is a useful addition to anyone studying al-Andalus or the broader medieval Islamicate, particularly when it comes to its art history."
Madinat al-Zahra was built in the 10th century as the capital of the Caliphate of Córdoba and became the wealthiest, most dazzling center in Europe. Architectural fragments, luxury goods, pottery, coins, and scientific instruments reveal courtly tastes and manufacturing excellence. Fashions and artistic choices were shaped by diplomacy, politics, and long-distance trade, demonstrating wide-ranging cultural exchanges. Court pursuits included astronomy, poetry, and medicine, reflecting sophisticated intellectual life. The society displayed multicultural interactions among diverse populations. Islamic traditions established in al-Andalus left enduring influences that shaped elements of later Spanish cultural heritage.
Read at Medievalists.net
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