The Archaeology of Islam

This book examines the archaeological implications of Islam as a force which can act upon all areas of life. Islam leaves distinctive material culture remains and distinctive categories of evidence which can be detected and described. The subject and the geographical area of Islam is vast. The author provides an assessment of the means and the methods of uncovering Islamic material records in the context of a wide range of times and places. Separate chapters examine the mosque, the domestic environment, the Islamic city, death and burial, art, manufacturing and trade. The author draws evidence from the perceived heartlands of the Islamic world (Arabia, the Near East), and from those regions traditionally regarded as the periphery (Africa and the Far East). Coverage extends from the origins of Islam in the seventh century AD up until the present.

List of Figures. List of Plates. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. The Mosque. 3. The Domestic Environment. 4. Muslim Life. 5. Art, Trade and Ideas. 6. Death and Burial. 7. The Community Environment. 8. The Archaeology of Islam?. References. Index.

Timothy Insoll is currently a Research Fellow in Archaeology at St John′s College, Cambridge. From January 1999 he has been appointed a lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Manchester. He has conducted fieldwork in Mali, Eritrea, India, Uganda, Turkey and the UK. He has published numerous papers in academic journals, and one of his most recent publications, a monograph, is Islam, Archaeology and History: The Gao Region, Mali.

"This little book packs a punch ... this book has so much to say, and it should be read by both Islamic specialists and mainstream archaeologists." Antiquity <!––end––> " ... [a] stimulating and informative book." Journal of Islamic Studies "His goal is not only to demonstrate the richness and variety of the material culture of Muslim societies ... but also to interpret material culture and connect it convincingly to social characteristics" Aramco World "The standard of scholarship by the author is considerable and his reading and understanding of Islam most impressive" Times Higher Education Supplement