This beautifully illustrated book explores the rich heritage of Islamic art. Starting with the original Arab-style courtyard mosques, it traces the development of mosque architecture over the centuries and in different cultures. Meticulously researched, with more than 500 colour photographs and artworks, the book provides an essential overview of Islamic art and architecture. From architectural monuments to pottery, carpet and costume, it embraces the range of Islamic artistic achievement, including the form revered by Muslims as the highest and purest of them all - calligraphy, the elegant decorative writing that represents the sacred words of God as revealed in the Quran.