Bazaar

by Weiss, Walter M.; Westermann, Kurt-Michael; Westermann, Kurt-Michael

• ISBN13: 9780500018392
• ISBN10: 0500018391
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-05-01
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Summary

This sumptuously illustrated journey through the bazaars in the old Islamic cities of the Orient shows how little they have changed since the Middle Ages. First the origins of the bazaar, its roots in the markets of ancient times, and the early Islamic fortresses and caravanserais are examined. Then the path of goods, carried by the trader's indispensable companion, the camel, is traced along legendary caravan routes like the Silk, Incense, and Amber Roads. After describing the everyday workings of the bazaar, the book focuses on traditional trades and crafts, including gold and sugar traders' markets, and the workshops of lute makers, fabric painters, glassblowers, and coppersmiths. We watch Persian carpet makers, perfumers, miniature painters, and calligraphers at work and meet people whose exotic trades are now dying out: sword, dagger, and fire makers, water sellers, magicians, storytellers, and silk weavers. More than a dozen of the finest and most important bazaarsincluding Marrakesh, Fez, Damascus, Aleppo, Cairo, Istanbul, Isfahan, Sanaa, and Samarkandare described in full and illustrated. With its detailed maps and plans, this book is an invaluable source of information for travelers to the Islamic world as well as for anyone intrigued by the "city within a city," one of the most mysterious and enduring forms of Islamic life.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD	7	(1)
IN THE EMPIRE OF THE SENSES Impressions from the Heart of the Medina	8	(15)
THE ENDLESS CARAVAN -- A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRADE	23	(14)
The Major Routes: Incense, Amber, Silk and Gold	24	(8)
The Camel: God's Greatest Gift	32	(5)
HOLY PLACE AND MARKET PLACE -- HOW THE BAZAAR WORKS	37	(32)
Philosophy of Life: Rational Feeling	39	(8)
Society: Imams, Kadis and Market Overseers	47	(7)
Buildings and Layout: Mosques, Shops and Caravanserais	54	(9)
The Elixir of Life: The Importance and Use of Water	63	(6)
CRAFTSMEN AND SHOPKEEPERS -- THEIR WORK AND GOODS	69	(72)
Carpets: From Loom to Living Room	71	(5)
Clothing: Chadors, Veils and Kaftans	76	(7)
Chechias: The Cap Makers of Tunis	83	(5)
Jewelry: Wealth and Protection	88	(5)
Perfume: Fragrances from the Thousand and One Nights	93	(4)
Coffee, Tobacco and Sweetmeats: Life's Little Pleasures	97	(6)
Medicine and Magic: Healing through Faith	103	(5)
Calligraphy and Painting: Letters and Pictures	108	(7)
Wood: Turners and Carvers	115	(5)
Glass: The Last Glass-blowers	120	(5)
Metal: Smiths and Sword Makers	125	(6)
Ceramics: Potters and Tile Makers	131	(6)
Leather: The Tanners and Dyers of Fez	137	(4)
THE HEART OF THE CITY -- PORTRAITS OF THE FINEST BAZAARS	141	(108)
Map: The World of the Bazaars	142	(3)
Cairo	145	(10)
Damascus	155	(8)
Aleppo	163	(8)
Istanbul	171	(8)
Sanaa	179	(6)
Dubai	185	(7)
Kairouan	192	(7)
Tunis	199	(8)
Marrakesh	207	(8)
Fez	215	(5)
Shiraz	220	(5)
Isfahan	225	(9)
Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva	234	(15)
EPILOGUE -- THE LIGHT OF THE BAZAARS	249	(1)
Glossary	250	(2)
Chronological Table	252	(1)
Bibliography	253	(1)
Index	254	(2)
Acknowledgments	256