Courses

In Spirit and Stone: The Art and Life of Fatimid Cairo

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The Fatimid Caliphate holds a significant and yet intriguing place in history. From their shadowy origins as a religious and political movement following the birth of Islam, by the 9th century, the Fatimids had firmly established themselves as an empire whose power stretched from Sicily in the west to modern-day Pakistan in the east. And while their hold on power in the region was relatively short-lived, lasting a little over two centuries, the legacy of the Fatimids has lived on through their most enduring contribution - the foundation of the city of Cairo.

Through this eight-part lecture series, we explore the rich artistic, cultural, and architectural legacy of the Fatimid Caliphate as it developed in their illustrious capital. We begin by setting the stage for the origins of the Fatimid Caliphate, its rise to power in North Africa, and its subsequent relocation to Egypt. The relevance of the dynasty’s Ismaili Shi’a faith and its influence on its socio-political landscape are examined, with particular attention to the architectural innovations introduced by the dynasty in the development of Cairo. The city’s urban layout, religious architecture and innovative use of calligraphic and geometric ornamentation are explored in detail as evidence of the flourishing cultural environment of the Fatimids. The series also examines the arts of Fatimid ceramics, metalwork and its rich textile culture, highlighting the global trading links flourishing at the time. The critical place the discovery of the Cairo Genizah fragments holds in revealing Fatimid life alongside Jewish culture in the period is paid special attention to.

The fascinating figure of Ibn Al-Haytham, the renowned Fatimid philosopher and scientist whose work has been foundational in our understanding of light and vision, is also explored, putting in context the Fatimid’s place within the period known as the Islamic Golden Age. Finally, the series explores the impact that the Fatimid Caliphate had in South Asia, particularly in the present-day Dawoodi Bohra community of Gujarat, who are considered to be Neo-Fatmids in what a flourishing 21st-century community still draws from a thousand-year-old caliphate.

Led by the world’s leading experts on Fatimid art, material culture, religion and philosophy, the series brings cutting edge scholarship on both a formative period of history as well its lasting impact on one of the world’s leading cities, Cairo, a site that remains one of the centres of the world, in spirit and in stone.