The Arabian Peninsula

1. The Arabian Peninsula Culture, Religion, and Influence

2. If you are familiar with these… Asparagus Bangs Algebra Then you already have a connection to Arabia! Navigation

3. Silk Road Connection • The Silk Road connected people of the Arabian peninsula with people of Asia. • This provided the opportunity for an exchange of goods, ideas, and culture. • The map above demonstrates the range of goods available on the silk road. • Also, notice the terrain included along the route.

4. Geographical Location • The Arabian Peninsula is in a part of the world we often call the Middle East, • which places it between Europe and Asia. • It includes such modern-day countries as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, and Jordan. • As the second map shows, Saudi Arabia alone is roughly the same size as the • eastern Unites States.

5. Landscape • The Arabian Peninsula has • these characteristics: • Vast Deserts • Bordering Mountains • High Daily Temperatures • Low Nightly Temperatures • Limited Rainfall and Water • Desert Oasis Locations • Fertile Land Near Rivers

6. Bedouins • Many people of Arabia were, and • still are, Bedouins. • Bedouins are nomadic groups. • Hospitality is an important part • of their culture. • Bedouins belong to specific tribes. Bedouin Family • The most important form of transportation • in the deserts of Arabia is camels. • Camels can carry large loads for great distances. • They require relatively little water. • Their bodies are especially well adapted to the • harsh desert environment. Bedouin man and his Camel

7. Bedouin Tents • In this tent interior, you can • see the size of the space. • Most of the textiles are colorful • and contain intricate patterns. • In this tent model, you can again • see the use of colorful rugs. • In front of the men’s half are • the tools for making coffee. • There is a curtain dividing the • two halves. • The women’s half is set up for • weaving.

8. Arabian food has a great deal of variety due to the many regional differences in farming, fishing, and trading. Even so, certain items are shared in common. Rice is popular everywhere, similarities in climate support similar fruits (lemons, grapes, etc.), and sheep and goats, who can handle the environment, are used for meat and milk. Food Middle Eastern cooking wouldn’t be the same without such spices as saffron, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric. Dates, which come in many varieties, are another popular fruit that can be grown throughout Arabia. Sherbet, the original Middle Eastern “soft drink”, was a method of preserving fruit beyond its season.

9. Art Iranian Painting Pendant Flask Textile Fragment Incense Burner Mosque Lamp Iranian Bowl

10. Tiles Those used to decorate mosques could not contain human or animal forms. Tiles such as these would have been made in large quantities to provide a decorative surface by being laid together in a pattern. Many tiles contained Arabic words, floral patterns, or geometric designs.

11. Inventions The astrolabe was perfected in Arabia for measuring the height of a star or planet. The kamal was a block of wood with a knotted string attached. The specific location of the knots helped to find latitude for ports. Islamic sailors combined the compass and sundial to create a useful tool. Islamic doctors knew a great deal about diagnosing diseasing, anatomy, public health, psychiatry, surgery, and circulation before the Western world.

12. Architecture Hygiene is important, and public baths have many rooms with different temperatures. A medrese is an academic building with several small rooms for classrooms and student housing. Mosques are characterized by domes, minarets, and a sizable courtyard.

13. Mosque Details Prayer hall floors are carpeted, often to show individual prayer spots. Minarets are towers from which Muslims are called to prayer. This is a unique minaret in Baghdad, Iraq. A mihrab niche symbolizes the entrance to paradise.

14. Islam Muhammad and Gabriel • The 'Five Pillars' of Islam are the foundation • of Muslim life: • Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the • prophethood of Muhammad • Establishment of the daily prayers (5 times) • Concern for and almsgiving to the needy • Self-purification through fasting during Ramadan • The pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are able

15. Koran • The Koran is the holy book • of Islam. • Muslims believe it was revealed • by an angel to Muhammad. • The text was memorized by • Muhammad’s followers • before being recorded in • writing after his death. Illuminated Koran Manuscript Folding stand for holding a copy of the Koran

16. Famous People Marco Polo: 13th century European traveler who opened trade between Europe and the Silk Route and wrote descriptions of Asia through a European’s eyes Ibn Battuta: 14th century Arabic traveler who visited more than 40 lands and left behind detailed, firsthand accounts of his journeys Chinese Sculpture Saladin: 12th century military leader who is remembered in the Muslim world for his leadership against the Christians during the Crusades Venetian Engraving