Islamesque: The Forgotten Craftsmen Who Built Europe’s Medieval Monuments

Diana Darke

Darke traces the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the geometric ornament back through Sicily and Spain, and asks why the craftsmen were written out.

The pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the geometric ornament all arrived in Europe through Sicily and Spain, and Darke argues that Romanesque architecture drew on Islamic building traditions far more directly than the standard accounts allow. Overargued in places, and well illustrated throughout, with an obvious question about why the craftsmen were written out.

View on Amazon

Recommended by 1 Person

Tyler Cowen

Perhaps overargued in places, but an excellent book, with super-clear explanations and wonderful illustrations.

Website

As an Amazon Associate, bookstoread.org earns from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Spotted an error on this page? Tell us and we will fix it.