Islamic Architecture and Arch

Abstract

The arch, an essential architectural element since the early civilizations, permitted the construction of lighter walls and vaults, often covering a large span. Visually it was an important decorative feature that was trans- mitted from architectural decoration to other forms of art worldwide. In early Islamic period, Muslims were receiving from many civilizations, which they improved and re-introduced to bring about the Renaissance. Arches appeared in Mesopotamia, Indus, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek and Assyrian civilizations; but the Romans applied the technique to a wide range of structures. The Muslims mastered the use and design of the arch, employed for structural and functional purposes, progressively meeting decorative and symbolic pur- poses. Islamic architecture is characterized by arches employed in all types of buildings; most common uses being in arcades. This paper discusses the process of assimilation and charts how they contributed to other civilizations. 1.