Colour and Symbolism in Islamic Architecture

A collection of photographs of the tiled domes, minarets and walls of the mosques and buildings of Islamic Asia. The tiles bear the "seven colours of heaven": ochre, turquoise, white, black, green, red and blue. The photographs are accompanied by text giving a traveller's impression of modern Afghanistan. The history of the tiles is traced from their first major appearance at the end of the 12th century, through to their apogee in the 15th century, up to the present day. The author looks at how the tiles were made and, in order to explain their symbolism, presents a translation of the celebrated verse romance "The Seven Brides of the Seven Climes" by the medieval Persian-language poet, Nezami of Ganjeh.