History of Islamic Art: Based on al-Mansurah Evidence

Al-Mansurah, historically, was the first Arab city established in the Indian subcontinent between 728-37 AD. It remained the principal Arab metropolis and a major centre of trade and culture till an earthquake in the 12th century destroyed it. This book tries to show how this city, now in the Sind Province in Pakistan, turned out to be a nucleus of Islamic Culture in the entire Islamic world, more specially in the subcontinent. Offering an in-depth analysis of the material excavated/found at al-Mansurah – pottery, stone objects, metal objects, woodwork, coins and coin moulds, jewellery, and seals, among several others, the author not only reconstructs the history of Islamic artifacts, but also shows how al-Mansurah marked the historical beginning of Islamic arts.