Islamic Art and

Geometric Design
ACTIVITIES FOR LEARNING

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Islamic Art and

Geometric Design
ACTIVITIES FOR LEARNING

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Contents
Introduction and How to Use These Materials

Copyright 2004 by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
This resource for educators is made possible by
the Mary and James G. Wallach Foundation.
Education, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Project Manager: Catherine Fukushima
Senior Managing Editor: Merantine Hens
Senior Publishing and Creative Manager: Masha Turchinsky
Illustrations and design by Tomoko Nakano
Color separations and printing by
Union Hill Printing Co., Inc., Ridgefield, New Jersey
All photographs of works in the Museums collection are by
the Photograph Studio of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
except for the following: nos. 14 and 20 by Schecter Lee;
nos. 17 and 18 by Malcom Varon, N.Y.C.
ISBN 1-58839-084-5 (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
ISBN 1-300-10343-3 (Yale University Press)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2003110847

Introduction to Geometric Design in Islamic Art

10

Selected Works of Art in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

12

Pattern-Making Activities

19

Resources and Glossary

43

Preface

Acknowledgments

Foreword

In 1976, Jane Normanwith help from Harry

Bixler, Stef Stahl, and Margit Echolswrote
The Mathematics of Islamic Art, a groundbreaking
Museum publication responding to the needs
of math teachers eager to use the Museums
resources in their classrooms. It became one of the
Mets most popular educational publications and
has long since been out of print. This new iteration,
Islamic Art and Geometric Design, which includes
current scholarship on Islamic art as well as
expanded activities developed in Museum
workshops, remains indebted to Jane Normans
work. We therefore dedicate this publication with
gratitude, affection, and admiration to Jane, whose
inceptive vision and passion for this project has
inspired all that has followed.

We are extremely grateful to the Mary and

James G. Wallach Foundation, whose grant
enabled us to publish Islamic Art and Geometric
Design and make it available to the many math,
humanities, and science teachers who have
requested it for use in their classrooms.

Surface patterns on works of art created in the

Islamic world have been prized for centuries for
their beauty, refinement, harmony, intricacy, and
complexity. Fine examples of Islamic art, from the
seventh to the nineteenth century, can be seen in the
Metropolitan Museums collection. This publication
features a selection of those objects in which
geometric patterns predominate. By using these
materials teachers will be able to show their students
how Islamic artists applied their imagination to an
underlying geometric framework to create the
patterns in these outstanding works of art. Students
will also learn the principles of geometric patterns
and be able to create their own. We hope that these
activities will spark in your students a life-long
interest in art and design.

The creative vision and leadership of Jane

Normanan educator at the Metropolitan Museum
for twenty-five yearsare behind the original
version of this publication. Over the years, other
educators at the Museum, including Evan Levy,
Betty Rout, Alice Schwarz, and Lena Sawyer,
refined and expanded upon the initial concepts.
We are indebted to Stefano Carboni, curator, and
Qamar Adamjee, research assistant, both of the
Department of Islamic Art, who revised the
Introduction to Geometric Design in Islamic Art
and ensured that the information about the
selected works in the Museum represents the latest
scholarship. Educators Nicholas Ruocco and
Deborah Howes offered insight and
encouragement. Emily Roth and Naomi Niles
refined the bibliography. Catherine Fukushima
shepherded this project, together with Merantine
Hens, who coordinated the many steps of editing.
Philomena Mariani edited the manuscript and
Tonia Payne provided meticulous proofreading.
Sue Koch of the Design Department provided
valuable guidance. Masha Turchinsky art directed
and managed the various aspects of production,
working closely with Tomoko Nakano, who created
the effective illustrations and the handsome design.

We are fortunate indeed that these educational

materials are supported by the Mary and
James G. Wallach Foundation. Their contribution
underscores their high commitment to art, to
students, and to teachers. We are deeply grateful
for their generosity.
Philippe de Montebello
Director
Kent Lydecker
Associate Director for Education

Kent Lydecker
Associate Director for Education

Introduction
Works of art can be stimulating starting points
for interdisciplinary investigations leading
students to explorations of history, social
studies, geography, and culture. Less
commonly, but no less intriguing, art may be
a stimulus for exploring concepts in math and
geometry. This resource provides the means for
teaching about the history and providing an
introduction to Islamic art while learning about
the variety of geometric patterns employed by
artists to embellish a wide range of works of
art, including textiles, ceramics, metalwork,
architectural elements, and manuscripts.
Through the activities, students will learn the
design principles and techniques by which
the artists created these beautiful and
intricate patterns.

How to Use These Materials

These materials may be used by a single
teacher, or a team of teachers may
collaborate, each working in his or her own
discipline. The activities may be adapted
to all levels of instruction.
We begin with an introduction to geometric
patterns in Islamic art. Slides of works from the
Metropolitan Museums collection are included
to show the variety and originality of these
designs. A brief overview of Islamic art and
individual object descriptions prepare the
teacher to lead a discussion of the slides. For
a chronological survey of Islamic art, teachers
may refer to the Timeline of Art History at
www.metmuseum.org/toah.

A series of activities follow. Working only

with a straightedge and a compass, students
will discover how to create many of the
geometric shapes and patterns that Islamic
artists preferred. They will also learn how
the underlying grid structure serves as the
foundation upon which these patterns may
be infinitely repeated.
The humanities teacher will find that close study
of works of art will lead students to a greater
understanding of artistic and cultural concepts.
Math teachers can use the activities to reinforce
geometric principles. Art teachers will find that
students become absorbed in the creation of
their own geometric patterns. And science
teachers will recognize that many underlying
principles of these patterns have corollaries
in the natural world.

of the objects. Let your students know that they

will have the opportunity to create many of
these patterns themselves.
Lead your students through the patternmaking activities. You may chose to do one,
some, or all of them. A set of overhead
transparencies of the activity grids in this
booklet is provided for your convenience.
After the class has completed the activities,
return to the slides for a more in-depth
discussion of the patterns and effects of the
designs. Help the students find patterns similar
to the ones they created themselves.
We hope that this publication will inspire
new projects that combine visual art and
mathematical and geometric concepts.

The following suggestions are offered as

guidelines when using these materials:
Become thoroughly familiar with the materials
before you use them with your students.
Use the slides as a starting point. As students
view the visual materials, they will become
interested in the designs and curious about how
they were created.
Explain the traditions of Islamic art to your
students. A brief introduction to Islamic art and
more detailed information about the individual
works of art, including title, purpose, origin,
and materials, are provided.
When viewing the slides, call attention to
the intricate patterns used in the decoration

Introduction to Geometric Design in

Islamic Art

combined, adorn all types of surfaces, forming

intricate and complex arrangements.

The principles and teachings of Islam as a

way of life, a religious code, and a legal
system were promulgated by Muhammad
(ca. 570632 A.D.), an Arab merchant from
Mecca. These teachings were revealed to
him over a period of many years beginning
in 610 and were subsequently codified in the
text known as the Quran. The word of God,
as set out in the Quran and handed down in
the sayings of Muhammad (known as hadith,
or Traditions), forms the core of the religion.

While geometric ornamentation may have

reached a pinnacle in the Islamic world,
sources for the basic shapes and intricate
patterns already existed in late antiquity in the
Byzantine and Sasanian empires. Islamic artists
appropriated key elements from the classical
tradition, then elaborated upon them to invent
a new form of decoration that stressed the
importance of unity, logic, and order. Essential
to this unique style were the contributions
made by Islamic mathematicians, astronomers,
and other scientists, whose ideas and technical
advances are indirectly reflected in the
artistic tradition.

The primary premise of the Islamic faith is

monotheism, a renunciation of all deities except
one, Allah, who alone is the creator, sustainer,
and destroyer of life. Islam is Arabic for
submission, here to the single entity of Allah.
The recognition of Muhammad as Allahs last
prophet, a prophet like Abraham, Moses,
Jesus, and the others that preceded Muhammad,
is also a key element of the belief.
Neither the Quran nor the Traditions contain
specific mandates against figural representation in art. However, both sources take a firm
stance against idolatry and the worship of
images. These precepts were interpreted strictly
by early Islamic religious leaders and exegetes
as an injunction against the depiction of human
or animal figures, although extant examples of
architectural decoration, objects in all media,
and illustrated manuscripts belie that stricture.
Four types of ornamentation can be found in
Islamic art: calligraphy, figural forms (human
and animal), vegetal motifs, and geometric
patterns. These patterns, either singly or

10

The basic instruments for constructing geometric

designs were a compass and ruler. The circle
became the foundation for Islamic pattern, in
part a consequence of refinements made to
the compass by Arabic astronomers and
cartographers. The circle is often an organizing
element underlying vegetal designs; it plays an
important role in calligraphy, which the Arabs
defined as the geometry of the line; and it
structures all the complex Islamic patterns using
geometric shapes. These patterns have three
basic characteristics:
1. They are made up of a small number of
repeated geometric elements. The simple forms
of the circle, square, and straight line are the
basis of the patterns. These elements are
combined, duplicated, interlaced, and
arranged in intricate combinations. Most
patterns are typically based on one of two
types of gridone composed of equilateral

triangles, the other of squares. A third type

of grid, composed of hexagons, is a variation
on the triangular schema. The mathematical
term for these grids is regular tessellation
(deriving from Latin tesserae, i.e., pieces of
mosaic), in which one regular polygon is
repeated to tile the plane.
2. They are two-dimensional. Islamic designs
often have a background and foreground
pattern. The placement of pattern upon pattern
serves to flatten the space, and there is no
attempt to create depth. Vegetal patterns are
may be set against a contrasting background in
which the plantlike forms interlace, weaving
over and under in a way that emphasizes the
foreground decoration. In other instances, the
background is replaced by a contrast between
light and shade. Sometimes it is impossible
to distinguish between foreground and
background. Some geometric designs are
created by fitting all the polygonal shapes
together like the pieces of a puzzle, leaving
no gaps and, therefore, requiring no spatial
interplay between foreground and background.
The mathematical term for this type of
construction is tessellation. The conception of
space in Islamic art is completely different from
Western models, which usually adopt a linear
perspective and divide the picture space into
foreground, middle ground, and background.
Artists of the Islamic world were largely
uninterested in linear perspective. Of the
various styles of Islamic art, it was in Persian
painting that a type of three-dimensional space
was used in which figures could interact, but
this space presented multiple viewpoints and
simultaneously featured birds-eye and
worms-eye views.

3. They are not designed to fit within a frame.

Geometric ornamentation in Islamic art suggests
a remarkable degree of freedom. The complex
arrangements and combinations of elements
are infinitely expandable; the frame
surrounding a pattern appears to be arbitrary
and the basic arrangement sometimes provides
a unit from which the rest of the design can be
both predicted and projected.

11

Selected Works of Art in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

1

Bowl, 9th10th century; cAbbasid period

Iran or Iraq
Glass, free-blown and cut; H. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm), Diam. 3 5/8 in.
(9.2 cm)
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1965 (65.172.1)
The simple geometric pattern that decorates this nearly spherical
bowl represents one of the most common motifs that originated in
Iran during the Sasanian dynasty and survived into the early Islamic
period, when the new Muslim rulers came to power in the seventh
century A.D. The design of disks with the raised dots in the center is
generally known as an omphalos pattern, from the Greek word for
navel. The two evenly spaced, staggered rows of omphalos motifs
in relief seem to grow out of petal-like forms that radiate from the
base of the bowl, enhancing the sculptural quality of this otherwise
seemingly weightless and colorless object.

Marquetry panel, second half of 8th century; Abbasid period

Egypt
Wood inlaid with wood and bone; 18 3/4 x 76 1/2 in.
(47.6 x 194.3 cm)
Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1937 (37.103)
c

Possibly once the side of a cenotaph, this elaborately inlaid

panel (shown in full in the slide) is a good example of the use of
geometric motifs. The central section (illustrated at right) is based
on the repetition of a square unit that contains a circle within two
larger squares. The variations among the patterns utilizing the
square demonstrate the synthesis of decorative freedom and
structural balance achieved by skillful artists, with every square
fitting into the overall grid.
3

Nur al-Din room, dated 1119 A.H. / 1707 A.D.;

Ottoman period
Syria, attributed to Damascus
Wood, marble, stucco, glass, mother-of-pearl, ceramics, tile,
stone, iron, colors, and gold; 22 ft. 1/2 in. x 16 ft. 8 1/2 in. x
26 ft. 4 3/4 in. (6.7 x 5 x 8 m)
Gift of The Hagop Kevorkian Fund, 1970 (1970.170)
This room was the winter reception room in the home of a wealthy
Syrian man. Male guests would enter the room, leave their shoes at
the step, and ascend to the reception area, where host and guests
would relax on pillows placed on long benches that lined the wall.
In the area in front of the steps, servants would prepare food,
coffee, and a water pipe for the guests. The room also has niches
for books, water pipes, and a collection of ceramics and metalwork.
Closets were used to store mats and bedding. The floor is made of
marble tiles and the wooden walls and the ceiling are ornamented
with gesso. Every surface is richly decorated with multiple patterns
and abundant use of gold. The decorations are mostly vegetal and
calligraphic.

12

4 Fountain from Nur al-Din room

(detail of slide 3)
At the entrance to the reception room (see slide 3) is a
fountain reconstructed following original models. Occupants
of the Nur al-Din room relaxed to the sound of the water in
this octagonal fountain. Around the center is a circular border
divided into eight equal parts; surrounding this is a square
border decorated with a thin band of tessellated hexagons.
5 Molded tile panel, 13th14th century; Ilkhanid period
Iran, Nishapur
Ceramic with turquoise and cobalt glaze; 41 1/2 x 24 in.
(105.4 x 61 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1937 (37.40.26,.27)
Ceramic tiles provided a perfect material for creating
tessellated patterns that could cover entire walls or even
buildings. A pattern such as this required only two kinds
of molds to make a beautiful and interesting design, one
of the most popular of Islamic tessellations. The Western
eye might read this pattern from left to right and from top to
bottom, the way a page of print is read; however, any star
or hexagon can serve as a central figure from which the
rest of the pattern radiates. A perfect expression of radiation
from a central point, the star is the most popular design
element in Islamic art. The six-pointed stars in this pattern
are molded with a lotus design from China, an important
influence on Islamic art.
6 Glazed tile panel (detail), mid-16th century; Ottoman period
Syria
Ceramic with turquoise and cobalt colors underglaze; 21 x 30 in.
(53.3 x 76.2 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1923 (23.12.3)
Even simpler than a tessellation of stars and hexagons is
one of hexagons alone. In this case, the tiles have been
individually painted rather than molded with a design. The
central flower in each tile is a six-pointed star formed by two
equilateral triangles.

13

Tile panel in the star-cross pattern (detail), 13th14th century;

Ilkhanid period
Iran, Kashan
Ceramic, composite body, luster painted overglaze; 16 3/4 x 42 in.
(42.5 x 106.7 cm)
The Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore,
1891 (91.1.106)
Rogers Fund, 1908 (08.110.19)
Gift of Rafael Gustavino, 1928 (28.89.4)
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Gift of H. O. Havemeyer, 1941
(41.165.11.13,.18,.20,.23,.32,.33,.37,.39)
This is another of the popular tessellation patterns using eightpointed stars, many of which include a calligraphic border of
Persian poetry. Several of the tiles are dated, and the distinctive
pictorial way in which they are painted shows that artists in Iran
employed considerable freedom with respect to the representation
of animate beings. The technique of luster painting on ceramic
glazes, probably invented in the ninth century, utilizes metallic
pigments to produce an iridescent effect. Although the tiles fit
together perfectly, the decorations are very different in subject
and style.

Tile panel (detail), 10th11th century; Samanid period

Iran, Nishapur
Terracotta, painted; 18 1/2 x 34 in. (47 x 86.3 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1939 (39.40.67)
Terracotta is baked clay, often unglazed and sometimes molded
or modeled into a figure or architectural element. The glazed
tiles in slides 5, 6, and 7 are called ceramic because their
composition is more complex than clay. This panel exemplifies
how geometric patterns can be revealed almost magically when
individual elements of indistinct shape are assembled in larger
compositions. A large octagon in the center is intersected by an
interlaced design, thus creating a complex pattern. The design
looks simple because it is based on half-squares with two open
sides rather than half-octagons.

Pair of doors, ca. 132530; Mamluk period

Egypt, attributed to Cairo
Wood inlaid with carved ivory panels; 65 x 30 1/2 in.
(165.1 x 77.5 cm)
The Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore,
1891 (91.1.2064 a,b)

10 Plate, 14th century; Mamluk period

Syria or Egypt
Glass, free-blown, tooled, enameled, and gilded;
Diam. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm)
The Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore,
1891 (91.1.1533)

The spectacular enameled and gilded glass objects produced by

Syrian and Egyptian glassmakers from the mid-thirteenth to the
late fourteenth century are unsurpassed. The decoration of this
flat dish, an uncommon shape, unfolds on two levels, with the
most immediate represented by the combination of the five
circlesdrawn in a continuous looping linethat dominate the
composition. The second and subtler level is found within the
four outer circles, where a complex star pattern was created.
The use of colored enamels and gilding emphasizes the basic
elements of the geometric and vegetal motifs in this design.
11 Basin, early 14th century; Ilkhanid period
Iran
Brass, raised, engraved, and inlaid with silver and gold;
H. 5 1/8 in. (13 cm), diam. 20 1/8 in. (51.1 cm)
The Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore,
1891 (91.1.521)

This masterfully designed and executed basin is decorated

with a network of nine interconnected rows of medallions or
cartouches that radiate from a central sun disk. A complex
series of overlapping stars, which extends into the medallions,
is formed by an underlying structure of joined lines within an
eighteen-sided polygon enclosed in a circle. The rim echoes
the largest star created from this pattern and is itself an
abstract eighteen-pointed star.
12 Incense burner, late 13thearly 14th century; Mamluk period
Syria, Damascus
Brass, inlaid with gold and silver; Diam. 6 in. (15.2 cm)
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917 (17.190.2095 a,b)

Incense burners were popular objects of domestic use. Spherical

incense burners such as this one are less common than other types.
The incense would be burned in a container inside this vessel
and the fragrance released through the pierced body. The interior
construction of this object and the surface decoration of geometric
patterns within circles echo the shape of the object itself.

Egyptian artists created very intricate designs like this one in many
materials. This pair of doors from the pulpit of a mosque is made of
wood strips enclosing polygons of elaborately carved ivory. The
pattern of twelve-pointed stars is enclosed in congruent circles that
cover the space of the doors.

14

15

13 Textile fragment, 14th15th century; Nasrid period

Spain
Silk, compound weave; 40 3/8 x 14 3/4 in. (102.6 x 37.5 cm)
Fletcher Fund, 1929 (29.22)
The patterns on this textile fragment recall the decoration
on the tiles and painted stucco adorning the walls of the
Alhambra in Granada, the capital of the Nasrids, the last
ruling Islamic dynasty in Spain. The various forms of
Islamic ornament are presented on this textile with
brilliant contrasting colors to create a sense of animation
and balance. The main repetitive motif in the geometric
bands consists of an eight-pointed star formed by two
overlapping squares. Vegetal patterns, knotted angular
kufic script, and cursive naskh script in the cartouches
above and below the kufic bands enhance the overall
geometric effect of the design.
14 Openwork screen (jali), ca. 1610; Mughal period
India, probably Agra
Marble; 48 1/8 x 16 1/2 in. (122.2 x 41.9 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1984 (1984.193)
Pierced screens (jalis) of pink sandstone or white
marble were widely used in Mughal India and fulfilled
many architectural functions, serving as windows, room
dividers, and railings. They allowed for the circulation of
air and provided shelter from sunlight, but the geometric
patterns and their projected shadows also produced
aesthetic effects.
15 Bowl, late 12th early 13th century; Seljuq period
Iran
Minai ware; composite body, opaque white glaze with gilding,
overglaze painting; H. 3 11/16 in. (9.4 cm), diam. 7 3/8 in.
(18.7 cm)
Purchase, Rogers Fund, and Gift of The Schiff Foundation, 1957
(57.36.4)
Minai ware was produced in Iran in the Seljuq period. The
ceramics were noted for colorful figurative painting on a white
glaze. As one of the many conquering peoples who rode into
the Middle East from the Central Asian steppes, the rulingclass Turks are appropriately shown on horseback, their
Asiatic features easily distinguishable. The shape of the
bowl is echoed in the design at its centera round sun,
shown as a face, surrounded by the suns rays, and around
them, six regularly spaced figures representing the moon
and five planets. This construction could easily lead to a
pattern of hexagons or six-pointed stars.

16

16 Leaf from a Quran manuscript, 1302 8; Ilkhanid period

Iraq, Baghdad
Ink, gold, and colors on paper; 17 x 13 7/8 in. (43.2 x 35.2 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1950 (50.12)
Traditions of bookmaking were well developed in Islam by
the eighth and ninth centuries, although such fully developed
illumination as that on this leaf seems not to have become
widespread until the eleventh century. Copies of the Quran
received the greatest artistic attention and care. In this
example, which represents the right side of a double-page
composition, many designs cover the entire surface of the page.
In the center of the page lies a richly designed square decorated
with complex geometric shapes and foliage designs. Above
and below the square are two narrow rectangles decorated
with calligraphic words set over leaves and vines. Over the
entire space, carefully fitted into the geometric design, is a
pattern of leaves and flowers in diverse colors. Above and
below the square are two narrow rectangles, which complete
the design of the page. This sumptuous gold frontispiece uses
a pattern of eight-pointed stars.
17 Laila and Majnun at School: Miniature from the
Khamseh of Nizami, folio 129a
16th century; Safavid period
Iran
Ink, colors, and gold on paper; 7 1/2 x 4 3/4 in. (19 x 12 cm)
Gift of Alexander Smith Cochran, 1913 (13.228.7)
Manuscript pages would have been executed in two stages.
First the calligrapher would write the portion of the story to be
illustrated, then the painter would compose pictures in the space
left by the calligrapher. Persian painters loved to depict the
scene from Nizamis immortal romance, where Laila and Majnun
as children attend the same school. These paintings give us a
fascinating glimpse of the goings-on in a classroom.
18 Laila and Majnun at School: Miniature from the
Khamseh of Nizami, folio 129a
(detail of slide 17)
This detail shows the painters ability to combine different
patterns to create a surface richness that contradicts the
sense of space suggested by certain lines of perspective.
Note the two designs using six-pointed stars.

17

Pattern-Making Activities
19 Mihrab, 1354; post-Ilkhanid period
Iran, attributed to Isfahan
Mosaic of monochrome-glaze tiles on composite body set on
plaster; 11 ft. 3 in. x 7 ft. 6 in. (3.4 x 2.9 m)
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1939 (39.20)
The most important interior element in an Islamic religious
building is the mihrab, a wall niche that indicates the direction
of Mecca, toward which the faithful must face during the daily
prayers. This mihrab is from the Madrasa Imami, a religious school
founded in Isfahan in 1354. It is made of glazed earthenware
cut into small pieces and embedded in plaster. Three kinds of
Islamic designs can be found here vegetal, calligraphic, and
geometric. The calligraphic inscription in the back of the niche
reads: The Prophet (on him be peace!) said the mosque is
the dwelling place of the pious. Calligraphy is the most
revered art form in Islam because it conveys the word of God.
Note the way in which straight-lined geometric shapes have
been made to fit the curved space. Observe the varied and
complex decorative elements that cover every visible surface
of the mihrab. All directly illustrate geometric, calligraphic,
or plant forms.
20 Tombstone, 753 A.H. / 1352 A.D.
Iran
Limestone; 32 3/4 x 21 3/4 in. (83.2 x 55.3 cm)
Rogers Fund, 1935 (35.120)
This tombstone recalls a mihrab niche. A common decorative
feature seen on mosque arches, domes, and sometimes on
mihrabs are the three-dimensional forms known as muqarnas,
or stalactites. Students should try to determine how the pattern
of stalactites was formed. While the four main types of Islamic
ornament were often included in various combinations or
all together on a single surface, in other instances, one type
of decoration was made to conform to the specifications of
another, here seen by the geometric application of calligraphy.
The inscriptions on the tombstone inside the niche, in the
diagonally set square above the niche, and on the inner
band that frames the nicheare a perfect example
of the technique of rendering square kufic calligraphy.
This style evolved during the medieval period for use on
architecture because the angular Arabic letters fit easily
into architectural spaces and could be conformed to the
rectangular shapes within the overall structure.

18

Activity 1
Introduction

Seven Overlapping Circles

Through these activities, students will discover

the satisfaction that comes with the creation
of designs through the use of two simple
toolsa compass and a straightedge. By
creating patterns themselves, students will
gain an understanding of geometric principles
of the underlying grids and methods used by
Islamic artists.

1. Using a straightedge, draw

a horizontal line near the
center of the paper.

paper,
straightedge,
compass,
marker

2. Make a circle with the compass

point placed near the center of
the line. Using the intersection
points as new compass points,
draw a circle on either side of
the first circle.

Each activity lists the materials needed in a box

in the upper right corner and illustrates how to
do the activity. Pages of this booklet providing
grids and the circle template may be photocopied
for use with your class. A set of overhead
transparencies of the activity grids in this
booklet is provided for your convenience.
Students begin by making single circles with
a compass. By using two different arrangements of circles, students will be able to create
a variety of geometric forms, including rosettes,
hexagons, and eight-pointed stars. The next
set of activities demonstrates how the two
arrangements of circles are used to create
various grids. Using these grids, students can
create an infinite variety of patterns. The final
activity is a class project in which students cut
and decorate six- and eight-pointed stars to
form two of the most popular Islamic
patternsthe hexagon and the star-cross.

20

3. Add four more circles using

the new points of intersection
as compass points. It is
important that all circles
have the same radius.

21

Activity 2
Finding Geometric Shapes within Circles
For examples see Fountain from Nur al-Din room (slide 4) and
Laila and Majnun at School: Miniature from the Khamseh of Nizami (slides 18)

straightedge, marker,
three examples of the
seven overlapping circles
design made in Activity 1

Finding Geometric Shapes within Circles

straightedge, pencil,
one rosette made
earlier in this activity

For an example see Pair of doors (slide 9)

Using the seven overlapping circles design created in Activity 1, students will be able to find three
possible shapes: rosette, hexagon, and equilateral triangle. Use a marker to highight each shape.

Rosette

1. Start with the rosette on

the opposite page.

The rosette divides the

central circle into six equal
parts and locates six equally
spaced points on its
circumferencea
result of all the circles
having the same radius.

2. Connect every other point of

the rosette to produce a sixpointed star with overlapping
triangles and a hexagon in
the center.

3. Connect opposite corners of

the hexagon within the star.
Extend the lines to the edge
of the central circle to divide
the star into twelve equilateral
triangles. Erase the lines
inside the central circle,
leaving the circle and line
end points visible.

Hexagon
To make a hexagon, use a
straightedge to join adjacent
circumference points on the
central circle.

Two equilateral
triangles
To create two equilateral
triangles, join every second
point. Notice that these two
triangles form a six-pointed
star.

22

4. Connecting every fifth point

will produce a twelvepointed star.

23

Activity 3
Creating Triangle and Hexagon Grids
For an example see Laila and Majnun at School: Miniature from
the Khamseh of Nizami (slide 17)

straightedge, two different

colored markers, tracing
paper, seven overlapping
circles grid (fig. 1)

fig. 1

Seven Overlapping Circles Grid

In Activity 1, if you had continued adding overlapping circles at the intersection points,
the result would be a circle grid as shown in the seven overlapping circles grid (fig. 1).
This circle grid is the basis for both the triangle grid and the hexagon grid.

1. On the seven overlapping

circles grid (fig. 1), place
a dot at the center of each
rosette.

2. Place the tracing paper over

the circle grid, and connect
the dots in horizontal and
diagonal lines to make a
triangle grid.

3. Now you have the triangle

grid on the tracing paper.
Using a different color of
marker, mark the hexagon
grid by highlighting the
outer edge of six adjoining
triangles, as shown.

24

25

Activity 4

paper,
straightedge,
compass,
marker

From One Circle to Five Overlapping Circles

1. Bisect the page by drawing

one horizontal and one
perpendicular line. Mark the
center as A.

2. Place the compass point at

point A and draw a circle.
Leave room to draw equal
sized circles on each side,
at the bottom, and at the top.
Mark the points that cross the
lines B, C, D, and E.

J P

26

K F

Finding Geometric Shapes within Circles

For examples see Textile fragment (slide 13) and
Leaf from a Quran manuscript (slide 16)

Octagon
To create a regular octagon, use
a straightedge to join adjacent
points on the circumference of
the original circle.

straightedge, marker,
four copies of the five
overlapping circles design
made in Activity 4

Eight-pointed star,
version 1
By joining every second
point on the original circle,
you will create two squares
that overlap to form an
eight-pointed star.

C
D

4. Use a straightedge to draw

the lines FH and JG through
the center. These lines
intersect the original circle at
four equally spaced points
at K, L, M, and P.

3. Using points B, C, D, and E,

draw four more circles.
Mark the points where the
four circles intersect F, G, H,
and J.

Activity 5

5. The straight lines both divide

the circle into eight equal
parts and locate eight
equally spaced pointsB,
C, D, E, K, L, M, Pon the
circumference of the original
circle. This is the result of the
five circles having the same
radius. These points can be
used to form octagons,
eight-pointed stars, and fourpointed stars, as shown in
Activity 5.

Eight-pointed star,
version 2
By joining every third point,
you will create a different
eight-pointed star.

Four-pointed star
Embedded in the eightpointed star (version 2)
is a four-pointed star.

27

Activity 6

tracing paper, two different

colored markers, straightedge, five overlapping
circles grid (fig. 2)

Creating Square Grids from Circles

For an example see Marquetry panel (slide 2)

fig. 2

Five Overlapping Circles Grid

In Activity 4, if you had continued adding overlapping circles at the intersection points,
the result would be a circle grid as shown in the five overlapping circles grid (fig. 2).
This circle grid is the basis for the square grid and the diagonal grid.

1. On the five overlapping

circles grid (fig. 2), place
a dot at the point where
each circle meets.

2. With the tracing paper over

the circle grid, connect the
dots horizontally and vertically
to make a square grid.

3. Now you have the square

grid on the tracing paper.
Using the straightedge and
a different colored marker,
mark diagonal lines.

28

29

Activity 7

fig.7A
fig.
3

Discovering Patterns within the Triangle Grid

Triangle Grid

tracing paper, marker,

triangle grid (fig. 3)

For examples see Molded tile panel (slide 5) and Glazed tile panel (slide 6)

1. Place the tracing paper over

triangle grid (fig. 3).

30

2. Select any one of the three

patterns below and, on the
tracing paper, copy only
those lines that will create
your selected pattern. Use
the lines of the grid as a
guide.

3. Repeat with the other

patterns.

31

Activity 8

fig. 4

Discovering Patterns within the Five

Overlapping Circles Grid

Five Overlapping Circles Grid

tracing paper, marker,

five overlapping
circles grid (fig. 4)

For an example see Mihrab (slide 19)

1. Place the tracing paper over

the five overlapping circles
grid (fig. 4).

32

2. Select any one of the three

patterns below and, on
the tracing paper, trace
only those lines that will
create your selected pattern.
Use the lines of the grid
as a guide.

3. Repeat with the other

patterns.

33

Activity 9

tracing paper, marker,

seven overlapping
circles grid (fig. 5)

Discovering Patterns within the Seven

Overlapping Circles Grid

fig. 5

Seven Overlapping Circles Grid

For an example see Bowl (slide 1)

1. Place the tracing paper over

the seven overlapping

circles grid (fig. 5).

34

2. Select any one of the three

patterns below and, on the

tracing paper, copy only
those lines that will create
your selected pattern. Use
the lines of the grid as a
guide.

3. Repeat with the other

patterns.

35

Activity 10

fig. 6

Discovering Patterns within the Diagonal Grid

Diagonal Grid

tracing paper, marker,

diagonal grid (fig. 6)

For an example see Tile panel in the star-cross pattern (slide 7)

1. Place the tracing paper over

the diagonal grid (fig. 6).

36

2. Select one of the three

patterns below and, on
the tracing paper, trace
only those lines that will
create your selected pattern.
Use the lines of the grid as
a guide.

3. Repeat with the other

patterns.

37

Activity 11

compass, scissors, colored markers,

circle (fig. 7), flat surface for mounting the
finished stars. (The flat surface can be a poster

Class Project with Cut-Out Stars

Constructing and Decorating the Stars

board or paper. Size will depend on the number of

stars you have.)

Constructing an Eight-Pointed Star

Constructing a Six-Pointed Star

2. Fold the circle in half.

1. Using fig. 7, begin by

carefully cutting out the
circle.

3. Fold A over to B.

1. Using fig. 7, begin by

carefully cutting out
the circle.

2. Fold the circle in half.

3. Fold A over to B.

7
A

5. Unfold. Fold to the back

along axis CF.

4. Measure line CD. At the

halfway point, mark point
E. Keeping a sharp point
at B, fold along line BE.
Where C now touches the
circles edge, mark point F.

6. Fold B up to meet point F. If

you look at the folded circle
edge on, it should make a
zigzag.

4. Fold B up to D, creating new

point E.
D

5. Draw a perpendicular line

from line CD to point E.
Fold D down along line EF,
keeping a sharp point at E.
Unfold.
D

E
B
B

C
D

B
C

7. Hold the folded circle so you can

see where fold BE (created in
step 4) meets the outer edge of
the circle. Cut along fold line BE.

8. Open to discover sixpointed star.

E
E

C
E

7. Cut along fold lines EF and

DG only to the intersection.

D
F

D
E

6. Draw a perpendicular line

from line CE to point D.
Fold E down along line DG,
keeping a sharp point at D.
Unfold.

D
E

D
E

E
G

8. Open to discover an eightpointed star.

D
F

E
G

38

39

fig. 7

Circle

Decorating the Stars

Ask the students to decorate their stars. Look at the slides for ideas for patterns and designs. We suggest
that the stars be placed on either a light colored or black background to enhance the students decoration.
Each student can make multiple stars to form his or her own panel, or individual students stars can be
combined to make a class panel. The stars should be mounted on the panel (poster board or paper) with
their points touching, as shown below.

Six-pointed star panel

Eight-pointed star panel

Once the project is completed, you may want to point out the star-hexagon pattern in the Molded
tile panel (slide 5) and/or the Tile panel in the star-cross pattern (slide 7). Ask the students
to compare these artworks to their own projects.

40

41

Resources and Glossary

Selected Bibliography and Resources

Islamic World
Al-Quran (The Quran). Trans. Ahmed Ali.
Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1984.
Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History.
Modern Library Chronicle Series. New York:
Modern Library, 2000.
Armstrong, Karen. Muhammad: A Biography of
the Prophet. New York: Harper Collins, 1992.
Shabbas, Audrey, ed. Arab World Studies
Notebook. Berkeley: AWAIR (Arab World and
Islamic Resources), 1998.
Turner, Howard R. Science in Medieval Islam:
An Illustrated Introduction. Austin: University of
Texas Press, 1997.

The intellectual legacy left by the multinational and

multiethnic scientific community (Christians, Jews,
and Muslims from all over the Islamic world) of the
ninth through thirteenth century is the subject of this
illustrated, readable survey.

Islamic Art
Baer, Eva. Islamic Ornament. Edinburgh:
Edinburgh University Press, 1998.

Baer presents an historic survey of the function

and significance of Islamic ornament spanning
one thousand years, from the seventh through
seventeenth century.

Blair, Sheila S., and Jonathan M. Bloom.

The Art and Architecture of Islam, 12501800.
New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994.

Featuring more than 150 glass objects representing

twelve centuries of Islamic glassmaking, this beautifully
illustrated exhibition catalog includes essays on the
history as well as the techniques of glass making.

Ettinghausen, Richard, Oleg Grabar, and

Marilyn Jenkins-Madina. Islamic Art and
Architecture, 6501250. New Haven:
Yale University Press, 2001.

This is an overview of Islamic art and architecture

of Spain, Africa, and the Middle East from its
beginnings to the mid-thirteenth century. Written by
well-known scholars, this amply illustrated and readable
book provides a well-balanced account and makes
the age and its art come alive for the student and the
general reader.

Robinson, Francis, ed. Cambridge Illustrated

History of the Islamic World. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1996.

An outstanding one-volume overview of the entire Islamic

world from its rise in the seventh century to the end of the
twentieth; well illustrated and engaging, it includes a
chronology of all rulers and an extensive bibliography.

Stierlin, Henri. Islamic Art and Architecture.

London: Thames and Hudson, 2002.

Stierlin, an architectural historian, has written a lavishly

illustrated overview of Islamic art and architecture; the
book includes detailed presentations on nine of the great
masterpieces of Islamic architecture, including the Friday
Mosque in Isfahan and the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Blair and Bloom, renowned scholars of Islamic art,

provide a thoroughly readable and copiously illustrated
detailed look at Islamic art from the time of the Mongol
invasions in the thirteenth century to the beginning of the
nineteenth century; a final chapter covers Islamic art
and its relationship to the West in the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries.

Math and Geometry

Bloom, Jonathan M., and Sheila S. Blair.

Islamic Arts. London: Phaidon Press, 1997.

Critchlow, Keith. Islamic Patterns: An Analytical

and Cosmological Approach. New York: Thames
and Hudson, 1984.

Beginning with a definition of Islamic art, Bloom and

Blair then describe it in this excellent, readable
one-volume introduction.

44

Carboni, Stefano, and David Whitehouse.

Glass of the Sultans. New York: The Metropolitan
Museum of Art; Corning: Corning Museum of
Glass; Athens: Benaki Museum; New Haven:
Yale University Press, 2001.

Bourgoin, Jules. Arabic Geometrical Pattern and

Design. New York: Dover Publications, 1974.

This book of patterns illustrates 190 examples of Islamic

geometrical designs: hexagons, octagons, pentagons,
heptagons, dodecagons, and more.

Through progressively complex geometrical

procedures, the author provides a foundation from
basic building blocks of Islamic geometrical patterns
to multifaceted designs.

El-Said, Issam. Islamic Art and Architecture:

The System of Geometric Design. Reading, U.K.:
Garnet Publishing, 1993.
This is a consideration of the background and
construction of Islamic design. Written for the authors
doctoral thesis, it explains the mathematical elements
behind the designs.

Forseth, Sonia Daleki. Creative Math/Art Activities

for the Primary Grades. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:
Prentice-Hall, 1984.
These lessons are designed to supplement and reinforce
basic concepts for mathematics instruction from
kindergarten through grade 3.

Henry, Boyd. Experiments with Patterns in

Mathematics: Enrichment Activities for Grades
712. Palo Alto, Calif.: Dale Seymour
Publications, 1987.
These fifty -five experiments utilizing patterns and
numbers provide a wealth of ideas from polygonal
numbers through pythagorean triples.

Newman, Rochelle, and Martha Boles. The Golden

Relationship: Art, Math, Nature. Book 1. Universal
Patterns, 2nd rev. ed. Book 2. The Surface Plane.
Bradford, Mass.: Pythagorean Press, 1992.
Art and mathematics constructs are used here to help
make connections and understand the recurring patterns
in nature and in space. Forms and words are linked
to explore patterns. Appendices include mathematical
symbols, properties, and proofs; geometric formulas;
art techniques; templates; and an illustrated glossary.

Norman, Jane, et al. Patterns East and West:

Introduction to Pattern in Art for Teachers. New
York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1986.
Examples from a cross-section of the Metropolitan
Museums collection are compared, analyzed, and
transformed (includes slides).

Stevens, Peter. Handbook of Regular Patterns:

An Introduction to Symmetry in Two Dimensions.
Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1981.

Stevens combines artistic symbols with mathematical

explanations and relates designs from different cultures
and periods in history.

Wade, David. Pattern in Islamic Art. Woodstock,

N.Y.: The Overlook Press, 1976.
This pattern book illustrates the structure and
development of Islamic patterns and provides
descriptions and directions for construction.

Juvenile
Beshore, George. Science in Early Islamic Culture.
Science of the Past. New York: Franklin Watts, 1998.
Concise chapters on science, numbers, astronomy,
geography, and medicine highlight these achievements
in the Islamic world and their continuing impact on
Western civilization.

George, Linda S. The Golden Age of Islam.

Cultures of the Past. New York: Benchmark Books,
1998.
Covers the history, beliefs, society, and global legacy
of Islam from the last years of the eighth century to the
thirteenth century.

MacDonald, Fiona. A 16th-Century Mosque. Inside

Story. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1994.

The design and construction of Istanbuls Suleymaniye

mosque by the famous architect Sinan is the context for a
discussion of all aspects of life in the Ottoman empire of
the sixteenth century.

Videos
Islam. Produced and directed by Steve York; written
by Michael Olmert. Alexandria, Va.: PBS Video,
1991. (VHS 58 min.) Smithsonian World
(television program)
Examines the history and culture of Islam.

Islam: A Civilization and Its Art. Produced and

directed by Jo Franklin. Washington, D.C.:
Pacific Productions, 1991. (VHS 90 min.)
An informative and entertaining look at Islamic art
and culture.

Other Sources
Timeline of Art History
www.metmuseum.org/toah
The Math Forum
http://mathforum.org

The Math Forum is a research and educational enterprise

of Drexel University; the site has information and links for
K12, college, and advanced math topics.

Aramco World Magazine

Published six times annually to increase cross-cultural

understanding of Arab and Muslim worlds. Free
subscription for educators: Saudi Aramco World, Box
469008, Escondido, CA 92406-9008

45

Glossary
Allah

Kufic script

calligraphy

marquetry

the Arabic word for God, the same

monotheistic God worshipped in Judaism
and Christianity, the God of Abraham,
the God of Jesus
the art of elegant or stylized writing in
which the word itself becomes a work
of art: exceptionally skilled Muslim
calligraphers gained honorific titles
and fame

cartouche

a decorative oval or oblong-shaped

panel with scrolled edges used in art
and architecture as a base for
inscriptions or other decorations, or
used as a decoration in and of itself

cenotaph

a tomblike monument or memorial

dedicated to a deceased person who
is buried elsewhere

circle

a plane figure bounded by a single

curved line, every point of which is
equally distant from the point at the
center of the figure

equilateral triangle

a triangle whose three sides are of

equal length

Hadith

Islams second holiest book, literally

traditions or accounts of
Muhammads actions, sayings, and
commentaries on the Quran, which
together form the basis of Islamic law

idolatry

the worship of idols, or images of deities

Islam

literally surrender, submission

to the will of God; the religion
promulgated by Muhammad and
followed today by about one-quarter
of the worlds population

46

coming into use in the seventh century,

this was used primarily for monumental
purposes, its angular forms ideal for
architectural decoration

omphalos

from the Greek word for navel, a

decorative motif consisting of a bump
or knob within a circle

polygon

decoration achieved by inlaying patterns

into precious woods or ivory

a plane figure with several angles and

sides, usually more than four (see also
regular polygon)

mihrab

Quran

a recessed niche in a mosque wall

that indicates the direction of Mecca
and marks the focus of congregational
prayers, usually the most adorned and
decorated element of the mosque

minai ware

a Persian style of pottery in which most

colors are applied over the glaze

mosque (masjid)

literally place of prostration, where

Muslims gather for prayer; a new
mosque is built where the calls to
prayer from the nearest mosque can
no longer be heard

Muhammad

(b. Mecca, Arabia, ca. 570 A.D.,

d. Medina, 632 A.D.) recognized as
the messenger of God by the Muslims,
he was an Arab merchant who preached
the Islamic faith, began receiving divine
revelations about 610 A.D., and was
forced to leave with his followers from
Mecca to Medina in 622 A.D.

muqarnas

initially structural in purpose and made

of stone, later decorative and crafted of
plaster, these clustered niches or parts
of niches were used to decorate the area
between the walls and dome in Islamic
architecture (also known as honeycomb
or stalactite vaulting)

Muslim

a follower of Islam, literally one who

surrenders, hence, one who has direct
access to his/her God (Islam having
no priesthood)

literally recitation, the holy book of

Islam, containing Gods words as
revealed in Arabic to Muhammad; the
Quran contains 114 suras, or chapters

regular polygon

a polygon with equal sides and equal

angles, e.g., an equilateral triangle,
square, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon,
or octagon (see also polygon)

regular tessellation

the only three regular tessellations

that can exist are the tessellations by
equilateral triangles, by squares, and
by hexagons; the boundaries of these
tessellations form the triangle grid, the
square grid, and the hexagon grid
(see also tessellation)

symmetry

correspondence in size, shape, and

relative position of parts on opposite
sides of a dividing line or medium plane
or about a center or axis

tessellation

a covering of an infinite geometric plane

without gaps or overlaps by congruent
plane figures of one type or a few types
(see also regular tessellation)

vegetal motifs

decoration reminiscent of plants, usually

characterized by curving, twisting linear
forms such as stalks or stems, as well as
floral or leaf patterns