Dictionary of Islamic architecture /

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Bibliographic Details
Author / Creator:Petersen, Andrew.
Imprint:London ; New York : Routledge, 1996.
Description:342 p. : ill., maps ; 25 cm.
Language:English
Subject:Architecture, Islamic -- Dictionaries.
Islamic architecture.
Reference works.
Dictionaries.
Format: Print Book
URL for this record:http://pi.lib.uchicago.edu/1001/cat/bib/2523048
Hidden Bibliographic Details
ISBN:0415060842
Notes:Includes bibliographical references and index.
Review by Choice Review

The vast subject of Islamic architecture can be forbidding for the uninitiated: geography, cultures, sites, monuments, and terminology are hard to differentiate in languages not familiar to Western students. This volume provides a good road map for the subject with alphabetical entries of sites, cultures, terminology, and countries. Entries for terminology are brief but well cross-referenced. Sites and countries receive more comprehensive treatment including historical overviews, suggestions for further reading, and references to other entries. Longer articles are usually preceded by a concise summary in italics. The functional black-and-white illustrations include plans, diagrams, maps, and photographs of monuments. A comprehensive index concludes the volume. Although it will not support the work of specialists, this source provides a useful introduction that will answer specific questions and suggest directions for more thorough study. The book is too expensive as a basic course text but will be essential to architecture reference collections. M. Nilsen University of Pennsylvania

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

This resource provides an alphabetically arranged overview of the history of Islamic architecture. It consists of hundreds of entries focusing on geographical, archaeological, historical, and architectural terminology (from many languages). Every entry begins with a simple, one-sentence definition (for some technical terms there is no further explanation); most then continue with an expanded explanation from one paragraph to multiple pages in length. Many of the longer entries also include limited "Further reading" lists and "See also" references to other terms. Accompanying most entries are illustrations in the form of photographs, plans, maps, and drawings: these are especially effective when discussing architectural details unique to Islamic buildings. Critics may question the selection of entries on specific monuments, the paucity of information on modern developments, and the lack of a detailed index. However, considering its well-illustrated broad coverage of the subject and inclusion of the non-Arab Islamic world, this volume will prove an invaluable addition to any library with an interest in architecture or Islamic studies.- Eugene C. Burt, Art Inst. of Seattle Lib. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review


Review by Library Journal Review