Detail of mosaics in the courtyard arcade of the Great Mosque

Detail of mosaics in the courtyard arcade of the Great Mosque
Damascus, Syria
706-715
Byzantine art

Pyxis of al-Mughira

Pyxis of al-Mughira
Cordoba, Spain
Made of Ivory

Prayer hall of the Mezquita

Prayer hall of the Mezquita
Cordoba, Spain
8th to 10th century
Hypostyle prayer hall unique horseshoe arches

Mausoleum of the Samanids

Mausoleum of the Samanids
Bukkara, Uzbekistan
Early 10th century
Monumental tomb

Mihrab

Mihrab
Isfahan, Iran
Glazed mosaic tilework
Perfect aesthetic union of calligraphy and ornamentation

Tughra of Syleyman the Magnificent

Tughra of Suleyman the Magnificent
Signature of famous architect
1555-1560

Umayyad Palace Plan

Umayyad Palace Plan
Mshatta
740-750

Muqarnas dome

Muqarnas dome
Hall of Abencerrajes
Granada, Spain
1354-1391
Octagonal drum intricately carved

Dome of the Rock

Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem
687-692
Where Muhhamed began his journey

Blue Koran

Blue Koran
Kairouan
Ninth to mid tenth century
Gold lettering on blue background

Christ as Pantokrator

Christ as Pantokrator
Church of the Dormition
Daphne, Greece
1090-1100
Dome mosaic

Throne of Maximianus

Throne of Maximianus
546-556
Made of ivory

Christ as savior of souls

Christ as savior of souls
Saint Celement, Ohrid, Macedonia
Early 14th century
Tempera, linen, and silver on wood icon
Late Byzantine

Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael
British Museum, London
Early sixth century
Made of ivory

Christ before Pilate

Christ before Pilate
Rossano Gospel Book
Early sixth century
Early Byzantine books

Theodora and attendants

Theodora and attendants
San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy
547
Mosaic on south wall of apse

Annuniciation

Annunciation
Church of the Virgin Peribleptos, Ohrid, Macedonia
Early 14th century
Tempera and linen on wood
Two-sided icon

Saint Apollinaris amid sheep

Saint Apollinaris amid sheep
Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy
533-549
Apse Mosaic

Archangel Michael Icon

Archangel Michael Icon
Saint Marks, Venice
1100
Constantinople treasures

Virgin and Child between Saints Theodore and George

Virgin and Child between Saints Theodore and George
Mount Sinai, Egypt
Sixth or early seventh century
Encaustic on wood (icon)

Katholikon

Katholikon
Hosios Loukas, Distomo, Greece
First quarter of the 11th century
Middle Byzantine Church with central dome

Hagia Sophia

Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus
Hagia Sophia
Constantople, Turkey
532-537
Most magnificent of the more than 30 churges

Christ as Sol Invictus

Christ as Sol Invictus
Late third century
Christian mosaic used in tombs
Driving chariot across the heavens

Old Farmer of Corycus

Old farmer of Corycus
Vatican Vergil
400-420
This is Tempera on parchment
This is from a book

Crucifixion

Crucifixion
Santa Sabina, Rome
432
Carved from wood at Old Saint Peter's

Orthodox

Orthodox
Baptistery, Ravenna
458
Early Christian mosaic at the palace church

Woman sacrificing at an altar

Woman sacrificing at an altar
400
Made of Ivory
Classical artistic style

Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes

Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes
Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy
504
Mosiac of Jesus

Interior of Santa Sabina

Interior of Santa Sabina
Rome, Italy
422-432
Shows timber roofed and clerestory windows

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus
Rome, Italy
359
This is a tomb that showed episodes in religion

Restored cutaway of Christian community house

Restored cutaway of Christian community house

Dura-Europos, Syria

240-256

Meeting hall

Christ seated

Christ seated statuette
As the good shepherd
350-375
Shows Christ in in almost a girly form as a young child
Contrapposto stance
Made of marble

Egyptian Art project

Bayeux Tapestry

What? Bayeux Tapestry
When?
Where?
Why?

High cross of Muiredach

What? High cross of Muiredach
When? 923
Where? Monasterboice, Ireland
Why? Made of Sandstone and is an early medieval Irish high cross and shows themes suited to a Christian burial.

Psalm 44

What? Psalm 44
When? 820-835
Where? Utrecht Psalter
Why? Painting of Matthew and of the abbey of Saint Peter

Animal-head post

What? Animal-head post
When? 815-820
Where? Oseberg
Why? found in the ships burial chamber and function is unknown

Abbey Church plan

What? Longitudinal section and plan of the abbey church of Saint Michaels
When? 1001-1031
Where? Hildesheim, Germany
Why? Features transformed the tunnel-like horizontally of Early Christian basilicas

Uta Codex

What? Abbes Uta dedicating her codex to the Virgin
When? 1025
Where? Regensburg, Germany
Why? Tempera on parchment, illustrates the important role that women played both in religious life and as patrons of arts

Hildesheim column

What? Column
When? 1015-1022
Where? Hildesheim
Why? Bronze column with reliefs depicting additional episodes from Jesus's life

Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne interior

What? Interior of the Palatine Chapel of Charlemagne
When? 792-805
Where? Aachen, Germany
Why? The first vaulted medieval structure north of the Alps.

Cloak of Saint Matthew

What? Man (symbol of Saint Matthew) folio 21 verso of the Book of Durrow
When? 660-680
Where? Iona, Scotland
Why? The cloak of Saint Matthews man resembles a cloisonne brooch filled with abstract ornamentation from medieval book that had 4 pages devoted to the symbols of the four evangelists.

Gero Crucifix

Who? Ottonian sculptor
What? Crucifix commisioned by Archbishop Gero
When? 970
Where? Cologne, Germany
Why? Carved in oak then painted and gilded is a statue and reliquary. Compartment in the back of his head that held bread for the Eucharist.

Equestrian portrait

What? Equestrian portrait of Charlemagne or Charles the Bald
When? 9th century
Where? Metz, France
Why? Carolingian emperors sought to revive the glory and imagery of the Roman Empire. Crowned emperror holding a globe as a symbol of world domination.

Detail of mosaics

Who? Byzantine artists
What? Detail of mosaics in the courtyard arcade of the Great Mosque
When? 706-715
Where? Damascus, Syria
Why? Buildings and landscapes common in late antique art but no zoomorphic forms.

Pysix of al-Mughira

What? Pyxis of al-Mughira
When? 968
Where? Cordoba, Spain
Why? Royal workshops produced this and several luxurious objects. Made of ivory with hunting motifs and vine scrolls.

Prayer hall of the Mezquita

What? Prayer hall of the Mezquita
When? 8th to 10th centuries
Where? Cordoba, Spain
Why? shows how they changed their arches some to form them in more of a horseshoe

Mausoleum of the Samanids

What? Mausoleum of the Samanids
When? Early 10th century
Where? Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Why? A monumental tomb and is one of the oldest.

Mihrab

What? Mihrab
When? 1354
Where? Isfahan, Iran
Why? Masterpiece of mosaic tilwork because every piece had to be cut to fit its specific place in the design. (perfect aesthetic union of Islamic calligraphy and ornamentation)

Tughra of Suleyman the Magnificent

Who? Tughra of Suleyman the Magnificent
What? Hish famous signature as an architect
When? 1555-1560
Where? Ottoman architect
Why? His signature because he was great and it was very intricate