Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem. Islamic, Umayyad. 691-629 C.E., with multiple renovations. Stone masonry and wooden roof decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome
The Dome of the Rock is a building of extraordinary beauty, solidity, elegance, and singularity of shape... Both outside and inside, the decoration is so magnificent and the workmanship so surpassing as to defy description. The greater part is covered with gold so that the eyes of one who gazes on its beauties are dazzled by its brilliance, now glowing like a mass of light, now flashing like lightning.
The Dome of the Rock
Built: 691-2 and has had multiple renovations
Location: Jerusalem
Patron: Caliph Abd al-Malik
Form:
-The structure is comprised of 2 ambulatories and an octagonal exterior wall and encloses the wall. It is built of stone masonry, wooden roof, and is decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome.
-The mosaics do not depict any representations of the human or animal form
-The mosaics are decorating the shrine with Arabic script and vegetal patterns
Function:
-The design is a clear parallel to the form the Early Christian and Byzantine martyrium.
-The use of this specific design may have been used to rival and even outshine the Christian domes.
-The Christian domes are also structurally very sound and long lasting.
-The dimensions of the Dome of the Rock are almost identical to the dimensions of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
-Many say that the ambulatories were built to diverge from the Mecca pilgrimage tradition and transition the direction of prayer and pilgrimage to Jerusalem
-The ambulatories were spacious and built in a way that left room for the Tawaf to be carried out.
-The Tawaf is the circumvention of the Kaaba in Mecca and it illustrates the unity and harmony of worshippers moving as one under god.
Content & Context:
-The rock that is enclosed by the rock is an integral part of the Islamic religion.
-In fact, it has great significance to all 3 of the Abrahamic faiths
-The Talmud
-Believed that God created the world out of this rock
-It was the site of 2 Jewish temples and very important to the Jewish religion.
-The bible
-It is the location where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac to God
-The Quaran
-This is the place where Muhammad ascended to God on his night journey
-Due to the significance across all three religions there are disputes on how the shrine was built
-One theory is Ummayyad caliph abd al-malik’s built the shrine for political reasons
- He wanted to counter his rival (Abdallah ibn zubayr) ,who at the time, was using Mecca as propaganda and gaining traction. He believed that the new shrine could be used for the same reason in Jerusalem and block the success of his adversary.
-Another theory is that he wanted to control his people without using brute force. He believed that religion brings the people together and building a shrine of this significance would unify the people under his command.
-There were lots of uprisings at the time and resistance against his dynasty. (Umayyad Dynasty)
-The temple showed his dedication to the faith and a symbol of his power.
-The building is not a mosque and the original function and significance of the Dome of the Rock is uncertain.
-The Dome of the Rock has been modified several times
-In the 16th century Ottoman sultan Süleyman replaced exterior mosaics with coloured ceramic tiles
-In the 20th century damaged types and exterior ornaments were replaced and the dome was given a gold layering.
Cross Cultural Comparison: The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
-They are almost of identical size
-Was built to enclose the tomb of Christ
-The Dome of the Rock was believed to be built to compete with this church
