The Dome of the Rock Analysis

 The Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Sakhra), Umayyad, stone masonry, wooden roof, decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome, 691-2, with multiple renovations, patron the Caliph Abd al-Malik, Jerusalem (photo: Gary Lee Todd, CC0 1.0

Qubbat al-Sakhra, otherwise known as the Dome of the Rock, is an Islamic structure constructed in the early days of the creation of Islam, and is considered to be one of the first buildings constructed by the religion. The building is located in what would be known as Old Jerusalem, and is located upon the highest point in the region. The Dome of the Rock was completed in the year 691 AD, some 60 years after the death of the prophet Mohammad. In between these two points in time, Islam there was warfare between the first early Arab armies, and the Holy City of Jerusalem. The Arabic armies won this conflict, and then constructed the Dome of the Rock. The exact purpose of the building is unknown, as it was not used as a mosque, but there is deep religious significance to the building. There is a rock at the center of the building, for which the building received its namesake, and is believed to have been the rock that Abraham would have sacrificed his son Isaac on had God not intervened. Modern day interpretation is that this is the site where the prophet Mohammad took his night journey to explore paradise and hell, and where he met God who showed him the other prophets, such as Moses, and Jesus. There are mosaics surrounding the interior of the building, none of which contain the faces of people or animals for religious reasons. They do describe though the images of scrolls and other religious metaphors the victories of the Arab army as they conquered the Sassanian Empire. Another significant part of the building is a massive inscription that stretches the dome, which is believed to be the earliest record of the first verses of the Qur'an. The inscriptions were done in such an advanced manner that it established calligraphy as one of the key art forms of the Islamic religion. Many have traveled to the Dome of the Rock, all for different reasons, and while not much is known about its original purpose, all who visit the building consider it to be a deep, and moving experience, no matter the beliefs of the individual.

Sources:

https://smarthistory.org/the-dome-of-the-rock-qubbat-al-sakhra/

Comments

  1. ShawnSeptember 26, 2021 at 7:37 PM

    I think you should rephrase the beginning of your sentence, "The rock that is referred to in the name is at the center of the building..." as it was a bit difficult to understand without reading it a few times. Other than that, your explanation of this buildings history was very interesting. I was able to understand what points you were making, what took place in chronological order, and facts about the Dome. Wonderful read- you did a great job!

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