Online catalog: some broad subject headings for searching include:

Architecture, Islamic
Art, Islamic
Islamic calligraphy
Costume, Islamic
Islamic decoration
Islamic decoration and ornament
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Islamic
Islamic antiquities
Islamic art and symbolism
Miniature painting, Islamic
Painting, Islamic
Textile fabrics, Islamic

Also search using more specific terms, e.g. Umayyad* or Seljuk* or specific object types, e.g. Iznik pottery or kilims, or buildings e.g. Great Mosque or Alhambra.

Reference Works for the Islamic World (General)

Cambridge History of Islam. (2 vols.) Davis Ref. [DS35.6 .C3]

Cambridge Illustrated History of the Islamic World. Davis Ref. [DS35.63 .R63 1996] An introductory yet scholarly work covering all aspects of the Islamic world.

Encyclopedia of Islam. Volumes 1-9 (Davis Ref. CD-ROM--see also E.J. Brill's First Encyclopedia of Islam, 1913-1936, Davis Ref. [DS35.53 .E53 1993])

Gale Virtual Reference Library is a collection of 25 reference books and encyclopedias in electronic format. The titles cover a wide range of subjects, from the arts to medicine, and from multicultural studies to social science. Search the "Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World."

Historical Dictionary of Islam. Davis Ref. [BP50.A33 2001]

Muslim Almanac. Davis Ref. [BP40 .M83 1996] A useful introduction to the Muslim world; see sections on arts and architecture. Includes B&W illustrations and bibliography.

Oxford History of Islam. Davis [BP50 .O95 1999]

Quick Reference: Understanding Islam (UNC Libraries Reference Department)

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Reference Works for Islamic Art

Grove Dictionary of Art, Art Ref. [N31 .D5 1996] See especially v. 16, pp. 94-560. This entry for Islamic Art is comprehensive, with extensive authoritative bibliographies and a chapter on historiography, the"history of Islamic art history". See also Grove Dictionary of Art Online, which has image links and updates to the text.

Dictionary of Islamic Architecture, Art Ref. [NA380 .P43 1996]. Comprehensive for Islamic Architecture worldwide.

Islamic Art Collections : an International Survey. Art Ref. [N6260 .I85 2000]. Sponsored by UNESCO, a comprehensive guide to museums in 41 countries, and to libraries with illuminated manuscript collections. Includes scope of collection and number of objects, including "objects of unique interest" as well as brief bibliographies of print collection catalogs.

Timeline History of Islamic Art and Architecture, Art Ref. [N6260 .K48 2005].

Museum of Islamic Art, Art Ref. [N6264.G3 B465 2003].

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Selected Surveys

Baer, Eva. The Human Figure in Islamic Art: Inheritances and Islamic Transformations. [N7625.5 .B34 2004]

Blair. Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800. Art Ref. [N6260 .B56 1994]

Bloom. Islamic Arts. [N6260 .B57 1997]

Brend. Islamic Art. [N6250 .B76 1991]

Ettinghausen and Grabar. The Art and Architecture of Islam, 650-1250. Art Ref. [N6260 .E885 1987]

Hillenbrand. Image and Meaning in Islamic Art. [N6260 .I63 2005]

Hillenbrand. Islamic Art and Architecture. [N6260 .H55 1999]

Irwin. Islamic Art in Context: Art, Architecture, and the Literary World. [N6260 .I75 1997]

Leaman, Oliver. Islamic Aesthetics: An Introduction. [NX688.A4 L43 2004]

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Other Surveys Useful for Extensive Pictorial Content

Die Kunst des Islam . Art Ref. [N6260 .S68] A scholarly work in German, useful for non-readers of German for its more than 400 plates (B&W and color) , plans and bibliographies.

Islam: Art and Architecture. Art Reserve, [N6260 .I725 2000] A heavily-illustrated popular work.

L'art Arabe D'Après Les Monuments Du Kaire Depuis Le VIIe Siècle Jusqu'à La Fin Du XVIIIe . Art Library Shelved Flat. [N7383 .P9 1973] A work in three volumes: a main text and two atlases with large black and white plates of architecture, floorplans and decorations.

Course-Relevant Texts

Umayyad Caliphate