Cities in the Pre-Modern Islamic World: The Urban Impact of Religion, State and Society (SOAS/Routledge Studies on the Middle East)

This volume is an inter-disciplinary endeavour which brings together recent research on aspects of urban life and structure by architectural and textual historians and archaeologists, engendering exciting new perspectives on urban life in the pre-modern Islamic world. Its objective is to move beyond the long-standing debate on whether an ‘Islamic city’ existed in the pre-modern era and focus instead upon the ways in which religion may (or may not) have influenced the physical structure of cities and the daily lives of their inhabitants. It approaches this topic from three different but inter-related perspectives: the genesis of ‘Islamic cities’ in fact and fiction; the impact of Muslim rulers upon urban planning and development; and the degree to which a religious ethos affected the provision of public services. Chronologically and geographically wide-ranging, the volume examines thought-provoking case studies from seventh-century Syria to seventeenth-century Mughal India by established and new scholars in the field, in addition to chapters on urban sites in Spain, Morocco, Egypt and Central Asia. __Cities in the Pre-Modern Islamic World__ will be of considerable interest to academics and students working on the archaeology, history and urbanism of the Middle East as well as those with more general interests in urban archaeology and urbanism. BOOK COVER......Page 1 TITLE......Page 4 COPYRIGHT......Page 5 CONTENTS......Page 6 ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 8 CONTRIBUTORS......Page 10 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 13 NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION......Page 14 1. INTRODUCTION......Page 16 PART I: THE GENESIS OF ‘ISLAMIC’ CITIES......Page 28 2. AN URBAN STRUCTURE FOR THE EARLY ISLAMIC CITY: An archaeological hypothesis......Page 30 3. THE FOUNDATION LEGEND OF FEZ AND OTHER ISLAMIC CITIES IN LIGHT OF THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET......Page 42 4. THE CITY OF SULTAN KALA, MERV, TURKMENISTAN: Communities, neighbourhoods and urban planning from the eighth to the thirteenth century......Page 57 PART II: POWER AND THE CITY......Page 78 5. POWER AND THE CITY IN THE ISLAMIC WEST FROM THE UMAYYADS TO THE ALMOHADS......Page 80 6. CEREMONIAL AND SACRED SPACE IN EARLY FATIMID CAIRO......Page 111 7. FIRUZKUH: The summer capital of the Ghurids......Page 130 8. FATHPUR SIKRI AND ISFAHAN: The founding and layout of capital cities in Mughal India and Safavid Iran......Page 160 PART III: THE IMPACT OF RELIGION ON URBAN LIFE......Page 174 9. THE WATER SUPPLY OF TINNIS: Public amenities and private investments......Page 176 10. HEALTH, SPIRITUALITY AND POWER IN MEDIEVAL IBERIA: The maristan and its role in Nasrid Granada......Page 192 11. COMMERCE AND SPIRITUALITY: The urbanism of Ridwan Bey......Page 211 INDEX......Page 240 List Of Illustrations -- List Of Contributors -- Acknowledgements -- List Of Abbreviations -- Note On Transliteration -- Introduction / Amira K. Bennison -- The Genesis Of 'islamic' Cities -- An Urban Structure For The Early Islamic City : An Archaeological Hypothesis / Donald Whitcomb -- The Foundation Legend Of Fez And Other Islamic Cities In Light Of The Life Of The Prophet / Simon O'meara -- The City Of Sultan Kala, Merv, Turkmenistan : Communities, Neighbourhoods And Urban Planning From The Eighth To The Thirteenth Century / Tim Williams -- Power And The City -- Power And The City In The Islamic West From The Umayyads To The Almohads / Amira K. Bennison -- Ceremonial And Sacred Space In Early Fatimid Cairo / Jonathan M. Bloom -- Fīrūzkūh : The Summer Capital Of The Ghurids / David Thomas -- Fathpur Sikri And Isfahan : The Founding And Layout Of Capital Cities In Mughal India And Safavid Iran / Stephen P. Blake -- The Impact Of Religion On Urban Life -- The Water Supply Of Tinnīs : Public Amenities And Private Investments / Alison L. Gascoigne -- Health, Spirituality And Power In Medieval Iberia : The Māristān And Its Role In Nasrid Granada / Athena C. Syrakoy -- Commerce And Spirituality : The Urbanism Of Riḍwān Bey / Nicholas Warner -- Index. Amira K. Bennison And Alison L. Gascoigne. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. List of figures and maps List of contributors Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Note on transliteration Introduction / Amira K. Bennison The genesis of "Islamic" cities An urban structure for the early Islamic city: an archaeological hypothesis / Donald Whitcomb The foundation legend of Fez and other islamic cities in light of the life of the prophet / Simon O'Meara The city of Sultan Kala, Merv, Turkmenistan: communities, neighbourhoods and urban planning from the eighth to thirteenth centuries / Tim Williams Power and the city Power and the city in the Islamic west from the Umayyads to the Almohads / Amira K. Bennison Ceremonial and sacred space in early Fatimid Cairo / Jonathan M. Bloom Fîrûzkûh: the summer capital of the Ghurids / David Thomas Fathpur Sikri and Isfahan: the founding and layout of capital cities in Mughal India and Safavid Iran / Stephen P. Blake The impact of religion on urban life The water supply of Tinnîs: public amenities and private investments / Alison L. Gascoigne Health, spirituality and power in medieval Iberia: the Mâristân and its role in Nasrid Granada / Athena C. Syrakoy Commerce and spirituality: the urbanism of Ridwân Bey / Nicholas Warner Index. Interdisciplinary Studies BOOK COVER 1 TITLE 4 COPYRIGHT 5 CONTENTS 6 ILLUSTRATIONS 8 CONTRIBUTORS 10 ABBREVIATIONS 13 NOTE ON TRANSLITERATION 14 1. INTRODUCTION 16 PART I: THE GENESIS OF ‘ISLAMIC’ CITIES 28 2. AN URBAN STRUCTURE FOR THE EARLY ISLAMIC CITY: An archaeological hypothesis 30 3. THE FOUNDATION LEGEND OF FEZ AND OTHER ISLAMIC CITIES IN LIGHT OF THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET 42 4. THE CITY OF SULTAN KALA, MERV, TURKMENISTAN: Communities, neighbourhoods and urban planning from the eighth to the thirteenth century 57 PART II: POWER AND THE CITY 78 5. POWER AND THE CITY IN THE ISLAMIC WEST FROM THE UMAYYADS TO THE ALMOHADS 80 6. CEREMONIAL AND SACRED SPACE IN EARLY FATIMID CAIRO 111 7. FIRUZKUH: The summer capital of the Ghurids 130 8. FATHPUR SIKRI AND ISFAHAN: The founding and layout of capital cities in Mughal India and Safavid Iran 160 PART III: THE IMPACT OF RELIGION ON URBAN LIFE 174 9. THE WATER SUPPLY OF TINNIS: Public amenities and private investments 176 10. HEALTH, SPIRITUALITY AND POWER IN MEDIEVAL IBERIA: The maristan and its role in Nasrid Granada 192 11. COMMERCE AND SPIRITUALITY: The urbanism of Ridwan Bey 211 INDEX 240 Wide range of case studies across the Islamic worldProvides a new interdisciplinary perspective on the Islamic cityWell illustrated with maps and photographsThe mix of contributors is good, from well established and highly respected academics to younger, upcoming talentsThe issue of urbanism in the Islamic world is an enduringly popular area of study and investigation