A superb historical and artistic overview of one of the world's great religions, bringing together the awe-inspiring legacies of this culturally diverse faith

Treasures of Islam presents a vivid portrait of the cultural heritage of Islam and its great treasures. An illuminating commentary places the Muslim artistic legacy in the appropriate geographical, historical and artistic contexts and explains the significance of the faith's use of colour, form and texture through calligraphy, sculpture, architecture and many other art forms. Although Islam is the most recent of the major monotheistic traditions to have emerged, it has produced one of the most glorious cultural legacies of any of the great faiths. For more than a millennium its followers have created a rich heritage of sacred art and architecture, from lucid religious texts to some of the most spiritually uplifting buildings ever constructed. This book provides a fascinating overview that traces the expansion of Islam across continents and cultures and gives unrivalled coverage of the great Islamic kingdoms and empires of history, featuring beautiful buildings such as Ottoman Turkey's Selimiye Mosque and spectacular sites such as the Alhambra palace complex in Moorish Spain.