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Abstract
This paper will discuss the architecture of minarets built during the first centuries of Islam. It has been argued that the earliest minarets were mostly designed for their visual impact and that their function as places for the adhan was a secondary consideration. This paper will argue that the sonic properties of early minarets is a feature entirely neglected by Islamic art historians and is a subject capable of analysis using digital technology. This paper will focus on both the visual and audio qualities of different architectural forms used during the early Islamic period focussing in particular on the examples from Abbasid (ninth century) Iraq.
Discipline
History
Geographic Area
Iraq
Sub Area
7th-13th Centuries