Publications
Endnotes: Islamic Architecture through Western Eyes: Palaces around the Mediterranean. Volume 3
A comprehensive analysis of Islamic palatial architecture around the Mediterranean, from Algiers to Baghdad, reveals that many grand structures—particularly those dating from the 17th to 19th centuries—were shaped by Western perceptions and influences. The study focuses on civil architecture, excluding religious sites, and highlights how these palaces in cities like Medina Azahara (Madinat al-Zahra) reflect a blend of local traditions and external aesthetic trends. By examining textual and visual sources, the research offers new insights into the interplay between Islamic architectural innovation and Western artistic sensibilities during this period.
The Structure of the Muslim Town and Town Planning
A comprehensive analysis reveals that Muslim towns, particularly those in Morocco and al-Andalus, were often planned settlements with structured layouts, challenging the notion of their being entirely unplanned. The study focuses on newly established towns such as Sijilmasa, Madinat al-Zahra (Medina Azahara), Madinat al Fath, Rabat, and Fez Jedid, providing detailed insights into their urban planning and architectural organization. By examining Jewish neighborhoods and other planned settlements, the research highlights the deliberate design principles that shaped Muslim towns, offering a nuanced understanding of their spatial development.
Aesthetic of appropriation
This study reveals how Christian Iberian rulers employed Umayyad spolia—such as basins and capitals—as a strategic visual tool to assert legitimacy, memory, and identity. By analyzing the reuse of these elements in buildings like San Isidoro de León and churches across Jaca, Valencia, Santander, and Tarragona (12th–13th centuries), it demonstrates that Christian territories adapted an 'Umayyad aesthetic of appropriation,' creating a shared visual language. The research adopts a comparative, interdisciplinary approach, tracing this phenomenon from Umayyad al-Andalus to later Taifa, Almoravid, Almohad, and Christian kingdoms, highlighting its continuity and cultural significance.
Cordoba Menjadi Saksi Masa Kejayaan Peradaban Islam
Cordoba emerged as the pinnacle of Islamic civilization during its golden age, surpassing contemporaries like Baghdad and Cairo in intellectual, architectural, and economic achievements. This study reveals Cordoba's unparalleled advancements under Islamic rule, including a renowned university, one of the world's largest mosques at the time (the Great Mosque of Cordoba), and Europe's longest bridge, which facilitated social and economic activities. The research also highlights the city's cultural assimilation, blending Spanish and Berber traditions with Islamic influences, while its thriving economy sustained this prosperity for over seven centuries. Conducted as a literature-based study, it synthesizes historical sources to demonstrate how Cordoba became a beacon of learning, science, and art, leaving a lasting legacy on European development.
The Visual Culture of al-Andalus in the Christian Kingdoms of Iberia
A comparative and interdisciplinary analysis reveals that the reuse of antique spolia, particularly in Umayyad al-Andalus—evident in landmarks like the Mosque of Córdoba and Madinat al-Zahra—established a distinct visual culture that was later adopted by Christian kingdoms in Iberia. This transfer and adaptation, observed in churches such as Santa Cristina de Lena and San Miguel de Escalada during the 9th–10th centuries, persisted through subsequent Islamic dynasties (Taifa, Almoravid, Almohad) and Christian rulers of León, Castile, and Aragon. The study highlights how these strategies, exemplified by the reuse of Umayyad basins and capitals in sites like San Isidoro de León and the Monastery of Las Huelgas, contributed to a shared visual language, reinforcing legitimacy, memory, and identity across medieval Iberia.
Spolia and Umayyad Mosques
A striking absence of Roman and Late-antique spolia in the construction of the Umayyad mosque at Madinat al-Zahra' contrasts with their widespread use in other Umayyad mosques, such as Córdoba's Friday Mosque. While spolia were typically employed for aesthetic, religious, ideological, or political reasons, the capitals designed for Madinat al-Zahra's prayer room exhibit unique characteristics resembling Visigothic models and suggest a rushed production process. This study synthesizes existing research on Umayyad mosque construction using spolia and proposes new interpretations for these distinctive capitals, offering insights into their cultural and historical significance.
Algo más sobre marfiles de Madinat al-Zahra
A detailed analysis of the plant-based decorative elements on ivory sculptures from the workshop of Madinat al-Zahra reveals the intricate craftsmanship and botanical richness characteristic of Cordoban art. The study, conducted by Chr. Ewerts, meticulously dissected these elements to uncover their symbolic and aesthetic significance, providing new insights into the artistic techniques and cultural influences of the Caliphate City of Medina Azahara.
Madinat al-Zahra Museum
The Madinat al-Zahra Museum, designed with the archaeological site as its centerpiece, offers a unique interpretation of the short-lived but culturally significant Islamic city of Medina Azahara (940–1010 CE) in al-Andalus. It serves as a visual memory of a plural past, highlighting the cultural and religious coexistence that defined this period. The museum's architecture supports a comprehensive museological journey, from excavation and conservation to exhibition, while also integrating findings back into site reconstructions. This approach ensures a dynamic understanding of the city's influence on Western Islamic civilization and its exchanges with Europe and the broader world.
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