Qamarīya

As Qamarīya ( Arabic قمرية, DMG qamarīya  'draft window') or Qamrīya are closed windows made of multi-colored glasses in the Arab world, the bars of which form geometric or floral ornaments. They are characteristic of the traditional architecture of Yemen . The term is from the Arabic word for "moon" ( Arabic القمر, DMG al-qamar ).

description

The windows, which are usually installed at a certain height, can consist of different materials - plaster of paris is often used, but Qamarīya webs made of brickwork, faience mosaic , alabaster, marble and other types of stone are also common. The gaps between the bars are finally filled with colored pieces of glass.

The patterns mostly correspond to the respective architectural decor of the building. Since the 11th century at the latest, Qamarīya can also be found in parts of southern Europe, especially in southern Italy and Sicily.

history

The Qamarīya windows probably go back to the pre-Islamic period, but have found widespread use from the Maghreb to India , especially with the emergence of Islamic art . It is unclear whether they can be derived from the ancient transennes or whether they were influenced in the opposite direction.

See also

Unglazed ornamented windows are called Mashrabiya in Arab countries and Jali in India .

Web links

• Colorful windows against the heat. Deutsche Welle, March 1, 2009
• The Qamariya. Nomad Out of Time. A journal of Islamic art, Yemen, linguistics, and a life of wandering

supporting documents

1. ↑ Hans Koepf , Günther Binding : Picture Dictionary of Architecture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 194). 4th, revised edition. Kröner, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-520-19404-X , p. 306.