Mathematics & monuments
The mathematics behind the patterns, the monuments that anchor the canon, and the scholars who decoded the system.
Owen Jones, Bourgoin, and the Western rediscovery of Islamic art
How Owen Jones, Jules Bourgoin, and Prisse d'Avennes brought Islamic geometric design into Western consciousness in the 19th century — and shaped modern design.
8 min readThe Alhambra: a guide to its geometric patterns
The Alhambra in Granada contains the world's richest concentration of Islamic geometric tile and stucco. A guide to its patterns, rooms, and history.
8 min readThe khatem: the 8-pointed star at the heart of Moroccan tile work
The khatem or 8-pointed star anchors more than 140 documented Islamic geometric patterns. A guide to its geometry, history, and significance.
7 min readThe math behind Islamic geometric patterns
Islamic geometric patterns are built on mathematical rules — symmetry groups, rosette construction, the sine rule at 22.5°. A clear guide to what's actually going on.
9 min readThe Topkapı Scroll: the pattern book that shaped Islamic art
Discovered in the Topkapı Palace archives, the 15th-century Topkapı Scroll contains 114 geometric designs that revealed how Islamic patterns were actually constructed.
6 min read