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| old Irish word translated as “people/tribe/nation”; referred to the people who lived in a shared territory, as well as the territory they controlled; regular, free tuath members were middle of the Irish social schematic, below kings and bishops, but above women and young men who still lived with their father |
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| most common structure in the early Irish countryside; belonged to a society where there were no villages, only isolated farmsteads; the early Irish monastery adopted the form of a rath |
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| the earliest written Irish, used primarily for inscriptions; consisted of markings and inscriptions, often on the edges of stones; these stones were usually inscribed with a personal name and often marked land ownership |
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| early Christian Church in Ireland; its modest architecture compares to that of the church on Skellig Michael’s South Peak; its very small, built of stone, without mortar, uses corbelling, and has a very small opening for the door, and a tiny window across from the entrance |
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| “fore-tales” of the Táin Bo Cuailgne; provides background information, leading into the Táin; contains the story of Ochall and Bodb, two pigkeepers who mutate into different animals, eventually becoming the two great bulls of the Táin story |
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| Columba (Ir., Columcille) |
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| Irish monk who founded several monasteries, including the one at Iona, in the 6th century; was a great scribe at a very young age; his mentor shares with him a rare copy of a vulgate of Rome, which he copies, enraging his mentor; a battle ensues over Columba’s copy, and Columba and several followers seek exile at Iona, where he establishes the monastery most accredited with the production of the Book of Kells |
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| a significant site in early Irish literature, especially the Ulster Cycle; royal seat of Ulster and king Conchobor; in the Táin, a young Cúchulainn sets out to Emain Macha join the boy-troop |
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| Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletus |
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| two architect/engineers recruited by Emperor Justinian to construct a church that brought together the vision of a divine heaven and a wordly earth, the Hagia Sophia in the mid 530’s; Anthemius was a scholar of geometry and mathematics, while Isidoris was a scholar of physics |
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| part of the Mass of Constantinople, in which Justinian’s guards line up, and move throught the church to the sacred Eastern end; then, Justinian and the bishop enter the great space of the church together, proceed to the chancel screen, and then Justinian retreats to his imperial throne (metatorian); anticipates the Greater Entrance of the Mass |
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| an important 5th century monastery of Constantinople founded by St. John Studius; the laws and customs of Studion were taken as models by the monks of many other monasteries of the Byzantine Empire; they remained iconodules and loyal to the church during the great Iconoclastic dispute |
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| title of Mary used by Eastern churches; literal translation is “the one who gives birth to God”; name given to Medieval Irish & Byzantine styles of representing the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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| traditional way of greeting of an icon; common in ancient Byzantium, and elsewhere; the actual act was a thrice-repeated bow in which one touches the ground with one’s right hand and makes the sign of the cross; Next one touches and kisses the icon, and lights a candle. Finally, one converses with the saint, addressing one’s prayers to the holy figure; literally means “kissing towards”, and refers to the traditional Persian act of prostrating oneself before a person of higher social rank |
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| absolute worship of God alone; worshipping an idol in this way is forbidden by Orthodox Church doctrine; one of several different degrees of worship; this particular degree is reserved for God alone; icons couldn’t be worshipped or adored in this way, only venerated |
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| the glorification of an individual to a divine level; a way in which deceased rulers/Emperors could be recognized as divine by their successors, usually also by a decree of State or public consent; it was a way of showing respect to the deceased ruler; temples and columns were often erected in their name |
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| the Great Schism of 1054 divided the Christian Church into the East (Orthodoxy) and West (Catholicism); caused by disputes over papal authority, as well as to include the filioque clause (“…and the son”) of the Nicene Creed; Catholics believe the Holy Spirit proceeded from both the Father and Son, while the Orthodox Church rejects this (holy spirit proceeded only from the Father); Catholics believed the Roman pope held authority over all patriarchs of Byzantium, while Orthodox believed that the Pope only had authority over the Western Christians |
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| – 312 battle between the Roman Emperors Constanine I and Maxentius; Constantine wins and sets him on path of becoming the sole ruler of the Roman Empire; Constantine’s victory is often attributed to God, by Christian sources; |
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| term given to objects (such as amulets, icons) intended to ward off evil; could include such objects as palladia, amulets, relics, and even gestures; common amongst ancient Roman and Byzantine art; comes from Greek origin literally means “turning away of evil” and was seen in the apotropaic eye commonly painted on drinking vessels to ward off evil spirits while drinking |
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| chariot-racing track of Constantinople, the center of the Byzantine sporting empire; its tiered seating was similar to that of the Roman Colosseum; “The Spina” , or separating wall in the middle of the race course, was highly decorated with a large number of antique works of art, including the Delphi Tripod, the bronzes, and the Obelisk of Thutmosis III |
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| Wall of Constantine and/or Walls of Theodosius |
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| massive series of stone walls fortifying the city of Constantinople; initially built by Constantine I in the 4th century; in the early 5th century, Emperor Theodosius II, began building a newer wall, hence Walls of Theodosius |
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| violent revolt in Constantinople in 532; resulted from mayhems and riots by the Green and Blue factions of the Hippodrome; also an opportunity to overthrow Justinian, who’s new taxes were wholly unpopular; Justinian ready to flee, but Theodora persuades him to stay and fight, and eventually emerges victorious; the Hagia Sophia was destroyed (again) from a fire that started during the revolt |
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| Surah (Meccan vs. Medinan) |
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| the Meccan surahs are the chronologically earlier surahs that were revealed to Muhammad at Mecca; these tend to be shorter than the Medinan, and come towards the end of the Qu’ran; the Medinan surahs were revealed to Muhammad at Medina, after the hijra from Mecca; these tend to be longer and located towards the beginning of the Qu’ran; the Medinan surahs often deal with details of legislation, giving advice on many issues |
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| Arabic word meaning “sign” or “miracle”; refers to each of the verses (within the surah/chapters) of the Qu’ran, as Muslims regard each verse of the Qu’ran as a sign directly from Allah |
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| "the Prophet", meaning Muhammad in Islamic context |
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| means “in the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful”; this Arabic phrase appears at the beginning of every surah in the Qur’an, except the ninth; is also repeated at the beginning of every act by the Muslim who dedicates his life to Allah |
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| Arabic for “part”; more lengthy division of the Qu’ran; there are 30 juz’ in the Qu’ran; during Ramadan, one juz a night is recited, so the entire Qu’ran can be recited in one month |
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| Islam means “surrender/submission”, the total surrender of oneself to Allah; salam means “peace”; Muslim were required to surrender themselves to Allah, but with peaceful connotations |
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| oral traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, mainly from his second wife, Ayesha; very important for determining the Muslim way of life; because of their importance in determining Islamic ritual, their validity must be confirmed, via a process called isnad, in which a chain of authority was used to authenticate the hadith |
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| Arabic term for “sanctuary, or holy site” in Islam; harams were Pre-Islamic places of ceasefire, where contending parties/clans could come and settle things peacefully; because of this, these cities usually grew quite large; Mecca is one such haram |
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| the dominant tribe of Mecca upon the appearance of Islam in the 7th century; the tribe to which the prophet Muhammad belonged; also the tribe initially opposingMuhammad’s message |
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| is the migration of Muhammad and his followers to the city of Medina in 622 to escape persecution in Mecca; is considered the foundation year of the Islamic calendar and Islamic religion |
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| term meaning “the surrender”; Dar al-Islam refers to those countries where Muslims can practice their religion freely; in Islamic tradition, the world was divided into two components, Dar al-Islam (the house of Islam) and Dar al-Harb (the house of war); those living in the Dar al-Islam were treated much better by the conquering Islamic army |
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| term used to describe the retaliation/reconquering of other Christian states over Muslim lands, beginning in the 8th century; started when France resisted the Muslim army, pushed them back into Spain, thus sparking the reconquista, where Christian kingdoms reconquered Christian territory lost to Muslim invaders |
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| The Prophetâs House at Medina |
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| a very modest establishment built by Muhammad after the Hijra (migration to Medina); it was a square portico courtyard surrounded by trunks of palm trees; the Prophet would stand under a mudbrick portico, leaning against it, orienting his body towards Mecca, as he preached to the crowd; eventually becomes The Prophet’s Mosque, a huge, eleganet, modern-day mosque built over the site |
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| a design feature common among ancient Islamic mosques, building; often recites a surah from the Qu’ran or a statement about the importance of the building; often decorates both the outside and inside of the mosques, especially the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem |
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| Arabic word for “mosque”, or a place of Islamic worship; masjid specifically refers to large mosques designed for communal prayer , consisting of a great, nonhierarchical (!) courtyard |
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| – a decorative device found in every Islamic mosque, in the mihrab, or niche in the quibla wall indicating the direction towards Mecca; also found above entrances to the mosque; designs vary from beehive-looking objects to many other designs |
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| - a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open; originated in Persian architecture, but eventually made its way into Islamic mosque architecture; typically open into the central courtyard |
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| Arabic word for the direction towards Mecca/ the direction a Muslim must face when praying; Islamic mosques consist of mihrabs, or niches in the wall, indicating the quibla |
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| Rashid al-Din’s Universal History |
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| – al-Din, the Persian historian, wrote an enormous Islamic history called Universal History; his Universal History documented the history of all prophets, caliphs of Islam; as well as evolution of Chinese, Franks, Turks, Mongols, etc… ; controversial picture in it directly representing the prophet’s birth; rationalized his art by saying he was addressing the life of the prophet not as a sacred story but as an historical fact |
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| the 5th Umayyad caliph; the first caliph to use construction to signify that the Umayyad dynasty was indeed powerful, just as most all other previous cultural groups; known for his construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem; |
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| The South Peak, Skellig Michael |
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| Skellig Michael, a very secluded and inaccessible island off the coast of Ireland; an Irish Celtic monastery was built on the NE peak in late 6th century; one monk, however, leaves NE peak to live in solitude on the rockier south peak, most extreme form of monastic life; builds a very modest monastery on South Peak, as well as terraces, retaining walls, and oratory; often called “The Forgotten Monastery of Skellig Michael” |
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| Christian statement of faith accepted by both Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Churches, but with one discrepancy—the filioque clause (“…and the son”); Catholics believe the Holy Spirit proceeded from both the Father and Son, while the Orthodox Church rejects this procession of the Holy Spirit; major part of causing the Great Schism of 1054 |
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| a man-made object of veneration; caused great controversy in both Islam and Byzantinium (iconoclasts vs. iconodules), as there was a geat dispute over which (if any) images/objects could be venerated, and how exactly they could be venerated, and if this qualifies as idolatry; arguments for iconodules preach that venerating icons simply is a way of paying respect to God; iconoclasts, however, take the Second Commandment’s prohibition against “graven images” literally, believing any man-made object of veneration is idolatry |
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| by Procopius; praises the Byzantine Emperor Justinian’s magnificent constructions throughout the empire, primarily the Hagia Sophia; for the most part praises Justinian as an emperor, a striking departure from his attitude on Justinian in The Secret History; presents Justinian as an idealized Christian emperor who built churches for the glory of God and defenses for the safety of his subjects and who showed particular concern for the water supply; quickly praises Theodora’s beauty; most likely written upon Justinian’s request; the first line, however, “the Emperor, disregarding all considerations of expense” was to be considered a complement by Justinian, but a mockery of Justinian to the public |
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| Explain how Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy can help us understand what Procopius is up to in The Secret History, especially with regard to his portrait of Theodora. |
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| Boethius wrote the Consolation of Philosophy while imprisoned; it centers around a conversation between him and Lady Philosophy, who discusses the transitory nature of earthly belongings, and the ultimate superiority of things of the mind, which she calls the “one true good.”; Procopius uses this argument in regards to Theodora, pleading to men to step back and look into the future, gives hope to public, that Theodora is not in control in the long run, God is. |
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| What is Procopius saying to his readers when he describes Justinian as walking around the palace holding his own head? Procopius |
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| Procopius used many strategies in portraying Justinian; Justinian without a head, empire without a head with Justinian at the realm; also portrays Justinian as demonic, who eats and sleeps little, resisting the urges of his body, a demonic trait; also, God is not pleased with demons, so he’s not pleased with the Empire led by a demon |
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| Explain at least three of the main arguments in William Young’s article entitled “The Ka’bah, Gender and Rites of Pilgrimage” (which you will read for this coming week). |
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| Argues that the Ka’ba (center of the world) has feminine connotations: in process of preparing the kiswa, or the garment, and transporting it to Mecca, as well as the actual dressing of the Ka’ba, has several female connotations; the procession to Mecca passes through the Inn of the Lady, the musicians following the kiswa are reminiscent of a wedding, and the black and gold garments covering othe Ka’ba are the same material worn by women only; |
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Explain why the status of the Qur’an in Islam is more closely analogous to that of Jesus
than that of the Bible in Christianity |
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| for Muslims, the Qu’ran is the direct/infallible message/word of Allah; the Bible, on the other hand, has become corrupted through translations and transmission; to Christians, God became incarnate in Jesus, his son; to Muslims, Allah (God) became inlibrate (God in the form of a book) through the Qu’ran; the Qu’ran has always existed, then Muhammad received it from Allah |
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| a non-Muslim subject of a state governed in accordance with Islamic laws; The term connotes an obligation of the state to protect the individual, including the individual's life, property, and freedom of religion and worship, in exchange for "subservience and loyalty to the Muslim order", and a poll tax |
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| Prophet’s Mosque at Medina |
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| began as a very modest establishment built by Muhammad after the Hijra (migration to Medina); it was a square portico courtyard surrounded by trunks of palm trees; the Prophet would stand under a mudbrick portico, leaning against it, orienting his body towards Mecca, as he preached to the crowd; eventually becomes The Prophet’s Mosque, a huge, elegant, modern-day mosque built over the site of the Prophet’s original house; non hierarchical space, distinction between leaders, men, and women; second holiest mosque in the world (after the Holy Mosque of Mecca) |
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| the act of Allah taking on the form of a book, the Qu’ran; similar to the Christian belief of God becoming incarnate by taking the form of his son, Jesus; explains why the Qu’ran is more comparable to Jesus than the Bible; the Qu’ran is the direct/uncorrupted message from Allah; has always existed, was just presented to Muhammad |
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| the Great Prophet of Islam; born via immaculate conception in the 6th century; founder of Islam and regarded as the last messenger/prophet of God (and therefore the greatest/most important); at one point in his life, he retreats to a cave in the surrounding mountains (of Mecca, his home place) for meditation and reflection; here it is said that he received the first of many direct revelations from Allah; Allah commands him to preach the monotheism of Allah, and eventually these revelations were codified into the Qu’ran |
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five duties required of every Muslim; they are as follows:
(1) witness--Allah is one god, Muhammad is only prophet
(2) Prayer--5 times a day facing Ka’ba
(3) Alms-giving—for charity and purification
(4) Fasting--During Ramadan, from dawn to dusk, health permitting
(5) Pilgrimage (Hajj)--Once in a lifetime, must go to Mecca, health permitting |
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| the fifth pillar of Islam; this pilgrimage to Mecca is an obligation that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so; It is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to Allah; the pilgrimage takes place in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar (Dhu al-Hijjah); the largest annual pilgrimage in the world; a series of preparations (ihram) are required before undertaking the pilgrimage—performing cleansing ritual, wearing the proper attire, etc |
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| the cubic structure located in the Sacred Mosque of Mecca; it is considered by Muslims to be the holiest place in Islam; Muslims around the world must face the Ka’ba’s direction (qibla) as they prayer; It is around the Ka’abh that ritual circumambulation is performed by Muslims during the Hajj pilgrimage; it is covered by a black silk curtain (kiswah) decorated with gold-embroidered calligraphy, replaced yearly; the space in the large courtyard surrounding it is non-hierarchical |
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| Kiswah (including at least two of William Young's central arguments in his article) |
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| the cloth that covers the Ka’bah in Mecca., replaced yearly, with the old one cut into small pieces and given as gifts to certain individuals; Young argues that the kiswah has feminine connotations in the process of preparing the kiswah, and transporting it to Mecca, as well as the actual dressing of the Ka’ba; the procession to Mecca passes through the Inn of the Lady, the musicians following the kiswah are reminiscent of a wedding; also, the black silk and golden threads are comparable to the clothing worn by women only |
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| longest surah of the Qu’ran; Medinan surah; the Surah's name is in reference to an argument between the Prophet Moses and the Israelites over a cow they should sacrifice in order to know the murderer of a slain man; a major theme is guidance--urging the pagans and Jews of Madina to become Muslim, and warning them and the hypocrites of the fate God had visited in the past on those who failed to heed his call; also stresses that man is forgetful and must read the Qu’ran often to avoid straying from righteousness |
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| a Meccan surah; the surah tells the stories of various prophets, such as Moses, Solomon and Salih, which preached monotheism; the story of Solomon is more detailed--it is said that Solomon converted Bilqis to the true religion after a hoopoe reported to him that she is a Sun-worshipping queen; the miracles of Moses, as described in the Bible, are also mentioned; the tales of these prophets lead up to the lessons of true and false worship and the miracles of Allah’s grace and revelation; the name of the surah is taken from the ants whose conversations were allegedly understood by Solomon |
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| Surah 96 (“Clots of Blood”) |
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| also a Meccan surah; the first 5 ayahs of this surah were the first of Allah’s direct revelations to the Holy Prophet, commanding Muhammad to preach Allah’s greatness; the surah presents two types of man, the believer, the righteous one, and that the second class is both in error and is in fact a "lying and sinful" creature; the surah concludes with God's warning to the denier that the "guards of Hell" await, and that such men should cease from denying the believer the right to worship unmolested by them; the surah's last ayah are words of encouragement to the believer to "not yield" to the threats of unbelievers but to continue in persistence in obeying God, and a promise of nearness to God for such a believer; name comes from the 2nd ayah, where Allah “created man out a clot of congealed blood” |
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