The Dome of the Rock and its Umayyad Mosaic Inscriptions (Edinburgh Studies in Islamic Art)

Located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock was constructed at the end of the seventh century by order of caliph ‘Abd al-Malik. This seminal structure has been much studied but no definitive interpretation yet exists of the meanings conveyed by the Dome at the time of its completion. The recovery of meaning is complicated by the paucity of primary written sources relating to the construction phases of the building and the motivations of its patron. This book concentrates on the most important surviving primary text, the long mosaic inscription running around the interior. Comprising a dedication and date (72/691-92) and material of a religious nature, the mosaic inscription provides vital evidence for the reconstruction of the meanings and functions of the Dome of the Rock. The detailed study of the mosaics helps to place them in the context of Late Antique monumental writing, particularly in Greek. The book makes use of contemporary Islamic coins, graffiti, and other inscribed objects in order to examine the Dome of the Rock in the relation to the ideological concerns of the Umayyad elite during and after the second Civil War. The Dome Of The Rock Is A Shrine Located On The Temple Mount In The Old City Of Jerusalem. When Was It Built? What Meanings Was It Meant To Convey To Viewers At The Time Of Its Construction? These Are Questions That Have Preoccupied Historians Of Islamic Art And Architecture, And Numerous Interpretations Of The Dome Of The Rock Have Been Proposed. Marcus Milwright Returns To One Of The Most Important Pieces Of Evidence: The Mosaic Inscriptions Running Around The Two Faces Of The Octagonal Arcade. His Detailed Examination Of The Physical Characteristics, Morphology And Content Of These Inscriptions Provides New Evidence About The Chronology The Building And The Iconography Of The Dome Of The Rock. The Setting Of The Dome Of The Rock -- Initial Description Of The Mosaic Inscriptions -- Mosaic Scripts In Late Antiquity -- Visual Sources For The Mosaic Script Of The Dome Of The Rock -- Focus On Details -- Proposing A Sequence -- Symbolic Dimensions Of Inscriptions In Late Antiquity And Early Islam -- The Inscriptions Of The Dome Of The Rock In Their Historical Context. Marcus Milwright. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 269-287) And Indexes. THE DOME OF THE ROCK AND ITS UMAYYAD MOSAIC INSCRIPTIONS 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Figures 7 Series Editor’s Foreword 12 Acknowledgements 14 Notes for the Reader 16 Introduction 19 1 The Setting of the Dome of the Rock 39 2 Initial Description of the Mosaic Inscriptions 67 3 Mosaic Scripts in Late Antiquity 101 4 Visual Sources for the Mosaic Script of the Dome of the Rock 125 5 Focus on Details 149 6 Proposing a Sequence 178 7 Symbolic Dimensions of Inscriptions in Late Antiquity and Early Islam 190 8 The Inscriptions of the Dome of the Rock in their Historical Context 232 Conclusion 269 Bibliography 287 Illustration Acknowledgements 306 Index 312