Arts of the Islamic world Discover fourteen centuries of Islamic art and culture. Community Questions A beginner's guide to the arts of Islam The Taj Mahal, a silk carpet, a Qur‘an; all of these are examples of Islamic art. But what exactly is Islamic art and architecture? Early period Early Period (c. 640-900 C.E.) From the rightfully guided caliphs who succeeded Muhammad, through the Umayyads' Dome of the Rock and Great Mosque of Damascus, to the decline of Abbasids rule. Medieval period Medieval Period (c. 900-1517 C.E.) The Fatimids (909-1171) ruled north Africa, and parts of Syria and the Seljuqs contolled eastern Islamic lands and eventually Iran, Iraq and much of Anatolia. Late period Later Period (c. 1517 –1924 C.E.) The Ottomans, a small Turkic state in Anatolia, emerged as a major military and political force and conquered Constantinople, the Balkans, the Near East, and North Africa. Arts of the Islamic world (quiz) Test your knowledge of the arts of the Islamic world!