Islamic art is traditionally rendered in humble materials: glass, wood, leather, iron

PERSIAN HANDICRAFTS
Originally uploaded by HORIZON.

Islamic art is both geometric in design as well as vine-like and swirling in pattern. Their sense of symmetry is awesome.

During the Golden Age of Islam, which was the age of the empire - about 700 to 1200 - there was a blending of arts from the Persians, the Turks and Greeks, the Egyptians and Spanish.

Achievements in paper-making, glass-making and calligraphy were notable.

In the libraries inherited from the Greeks were the writing of Aristotle and other Greek thinkers. Persians and Arabs (they may look alike, but Persians and Arabs claim separate ethnic identities) preserved philosophical as well as ancient scientific writings.

Their prowess extended to
* medicine - especially a medieval medical textbook.
* math - trig, algebra, numerals, etc.
* astronomy (see the astrolabe and the star Aldeberan).
* distillation - in perfume and glazes.
* metallurgy - in sword blades.
* architecture - of mosques & palaces.