ARCH 249 EXAM 3 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Dome of The Rock - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅central plan, ambulatory for circumambulation, arch,
arcade, polychrome voussoirs, arabesque and geometric mosaics, qur'anic inscriptions, calligraphy,
spolia
Great Mosque of Damascus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅rectangular enclosure (reuses earlier walls),
minarets (towers for the call to prayer), sahn (courtyard), hypostyle haram (prayer hall), dome over
mihrab, mosaics (non-figural), shrine of st. john the baptist
Great Mosque of Cordoba - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅enclosure wall, minaret, sahn, hypostyle haram,
horseshoe arches, polychrome voussoirs, reused roman & visigothic columns, mihrab, maqsura
(screened enclosure near the mihrab in a mosque for rulers or dignitaries), mihrab dome, ribs, mosaic
decoration.
Friday Mosque of Isfahan - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅sahn (courtyard), four iwans (vaulted hall open on
one side), qibla iwan, pointed arches, muqarnas ("stacked niches"/stalactite vaults), minarets
al andalus (andalusia) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅the historical name for muslim-ruled regions of the
iberian peninsula (modern-day spain and portugal), particularly from the 8th to 15th centuries. a
cultural, scientific, and architectural center of the medieval islamic world, renowned for monuments
such as the great mosque of cordoba
arabesque - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅decorative motif featuring interlaced vegetal and geometric
patterns, widely used in islamic art and architecture
black stone - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅islamic relic embedded in the easter corner of the ka'ba, kissed or
touched during pilgrimage
calligraphy - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅artistic writing, especially arabic script, used in architectural
decoration (often qur'anic texts)
central plan - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅building plan organized around a central point, typically with a
dome; common in early byzantine architecture and adapted by other cultures
,circumambulation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅ritual movement in a circle around a sacred object or site,
such as the ka'ba
congregational mosque - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a mosque designed to accommodate large groups for
communal friday prayers; typically includes a spacious prayer hall and courtyard
four-iwan mosque - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅mosque with four iwans (vaulted halls) opening onto a
central courtyard; typically seen in persian architecture
great mosque of cordoba - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅monumental mosque in spain (785-10th c. CE);
features horseshoe arches, polychrome voussoirs, and reused columns; later converted into a christian
church (now the cathedral of cordoba)
great mosque of damascus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅early islamic mosque in syria (706-715 CE), built on
a roman and christian site, and characterized by hypostyle hall, courtyard, and mosaic; first monumental
congregational mosque ("friday mosque")
haram - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅the main prayer hall in a mosque
horseshoe arch - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅curved arch with a rounded, horseshow-like shape, typical in
early islamic architecture
hypostyle - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅hall supported by rows of columns, used in early mosque designs
interlaced arch - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅an arch formed from intersecting curves, creating a lattice-like
decorative structure often found in islamic architecture
iwan - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅vaulted hall open on one side; central element in persian mosque
architecture
ka'ba - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅cube-shaped shrine in mecca, central to islamic ritual and pilgrimage
, kufic script - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅early angular form of arabic writing used in qur'anic manuscripts
and mosque decoration
lobed arch - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅an arch with rounded, multi-lobed projections, used for ornamental
effect in mosque and palace architecture
maqsura - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅screened enclosure near the mihrab in a mosque for rulers or
dignitaries
mihrab - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅niche in the mosque wall indicating the qibla (direction of mecca)
minaret - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅tall tower attached to a mosque, from which the call to prayer is issued
minbar - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅pulpit in a mosque used for sermons
mosaic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅art form composed of small pieces of colored glass or stone, used in
islamic architectural decoration
muqarnas - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅"stacked niches" or stalactite vaulting, a honeycomb-like decorative
architectural feature
muezzin - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅person who calls muslims to prayer form the minaret
parchment - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅treated animal skin used for writing, such as in early qur'anic
manuscripts
polychrome voussoirs - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅colored wedge-shaped stones forming an arch, often
seen in islamic architecture; alternating colors often produce striking decorative patterns, as seen in the
great mosque of cordoba
Dome of The Rock - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅central plan, ambulatory for circumambulation, arch,
arcade, polychrome voussoirs, arabesque and geometric mosaics, qur'anic inscriptions, calligraphy,
spolia
Great Mosque of Damascus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅rectangular enclosure (reuses earlier walls),
minarets (towers for the call to prayer), sahn (courtyard), hypostyle haram (prayer hall), dome over
mihrab, mosaics (non-figural), shrine of st. john the baptist
Great Mosque of Cordoba - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅enclosure wall, minaret, sahn, hypostyle haram,
horseshoe arches, polychrome voussoirs, reused roman & visigothic columns, mihrab, maqsura
(screened enclosure near the mihrab in a mosque for rulers or dignitaries), mihrab dome, ribs, mosaic
decoration.
Friday Mosque of Isfahan - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅sahn (courtyard), four iwans (vaulted hall open on
one side), qibla iwan, pointed arches, muqarnas ("stacked niches"/stalactite vaults), minarets
al andalus (andalusia) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅the historical name for muslim-ruled regions of the
iberian peninsula (modern-day spain and portugal), particularly from the 8th to 15th centuries. a
cultural, scientific, and architectural center of the medieval islamic world, renowned for monuments
such as the great mosque of cordoba
arabesque - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅decorative motif featuring interlaced vegetal and geometric
patterns, widely used in islamic art and architecture
black stone - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅islamic relic embedded in the easter corner of the ka'ba, kissed or
touched during pilgrimage
calligraphy - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅artistic writing, especially arabic script, used in architectural
decoration (often qur'anic texts)
central plan - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅building plan organized around a central point, typically with a
dome; common in early byzantine architecture and adapted by other cultures
,circumambulation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅ritual movement in a circle around a sacred object or site,
such as the ka'ba
congregational mosque - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a mosque designed to accommodate large groups for
communal friday prayers; typically includes a spacious prayer hall and courtyard
four-iwan mosque - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅mosque with four iwans (vaulted halls) opening onto a
central courtyard; typically seen in persian architecture
great mosque of cordoba - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅monumental mosque in spain (785-10th c. CE);
features horseshoe arches, polychrome voussoirs, and reused columns; later converted into a christian
church (now the cathedral of cordoba)
great mosque of damascus - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅early islamic mosque in syria (706-715 CE), built on
a roman and christian site, and characterized by hypostyle hall, courtyard, and mosaic; first monumental
congregational mosque ("friday mosque")
haram - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅the main prayer hall in a mosque
horseshoe arch - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅curved arch with a rounded, horseshow-like shape, typical in
early islamic architecture
hypostyle - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅hall supported by rows of columns, used in early mosque designs
interlaced arch - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅an arch formed from intersecting curves, creating a lattice-like
decorative structure often found in islamic architecture
iwan - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅vaulted hall open on one side; central element in persian mosque
architecture
ka'ba - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅cube-shaped shrine in mecca, central to islamic ritual and pilgrimage
, kufic script - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅early angular form of arabic writing used in qur'anic manuscripts
and mosque decoration
lobed arch - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅an arch with rounded, multi-lobed projections, used for ornamental
effect in mosque and palace architecture
maqsura - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅screened enclosure near the mihrab in a mosque for rulers or
dignitaries
mihrab - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅niche in the mosque wall indicating the qibla (direction of mecca)
minaret - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅tall tower attached to a mosque, from which the call to prayer is issued
minbar - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅pulpit in a mosque used for sermons
mosaic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅art form composed of small pieces of colored glass or stone, used in
islamic architectural decoration
muqarnas - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅"stacked niches" or stalactite vaulting, a honeycomb-like decorative
architectural feature
muezzin - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅person who calls muslims to prayer form the minaret
parchment - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅treated animal skin used for writing, such as in early qur'anic
manuscripts
polychrome voussoirs - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅colored wedge-shaped stones forming an arch, often
seen in islamic architecture; alternating colors often produce striking decorative patterns, as seen in the
great mosque of cordoba
