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Learn/ Educators/ Curriculum Resources/ Art of the Islamic World/ Unit Six: From the City to the Steppe—Art Beyond the Royal Court/ Chapter Two: Domestic Life in Eighteenth-Century Damascus
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Chapter Two: Domestic Life in Eighteenth-Century Damascus

The Damascus Room

The Damascus Room, dated A.H. 1119 / A.D. 1707. Syria, Damascus

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

  • understand how a reception room from the house of an affluent family in eighteenth-century Damascus reflects the tastes, interests, and life of the urban elite in a provincial city of the Ottoman empire
  • identify key features of this domestic interior and their cultural and artistic significance
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Introduction

The Damascus Room is an early eighteenth-century residential reception chamber (qa'a) from Damascus, a provincial capital of the Ottoman empire.

Eighteenth-Century Damascus

By the eighteenth century, Damascus was not only one of the most prosperous commercial cities in the empire, but a center of Islamic scholarship and worship.

Courtyard Houses in Damascus

Courtyard houses traditionally accommodated an extended family, often consisting of three or more generations, as well as domestic servants.

Featured Work of Art: Image 38

Read in-depth information about featured works of art related to this unit.

Suggested Readings and Resources

A list of resources for additional reading, with grade levels indicated

Sources

A list of sources used to compile the information in this unit