A magic carpet and Moorish water gardens

In 636 a.d., the Arabs invaded and conquered Ctesiphon, Persia (during the period of Islamic expansion). Objects of value from each conquered country - systemically assessed.

Incredible Persian rug was discovered.

It had belonged to the Sassanid King 1, (531-579 AD) Kaykhusraw. The size of the carpet was impressive: 450 feet long X 90 feet wide.

What has represented the carpet stunned the Arabs
One must take into account: what was the Persian climate. Extremely hot temperatures; intense storms of dust, vast arid high plains - devoid of vegetation and water - endless miles and miles. View of King Kaykhusraw 1, Paradesios spring garden was a charming and cosy contrast - the portrayed subject of the carpet.

A garden of Paradeisos
It was a large real estate, high walls, dedicated to the lush gardens whose presence provides a microclimate. Bulbs spring in Persia flourished in magnificence. The view, the aroma and the sound of a garden were wanted pleasures create a spiritual oasis. Also, a hunting park was an indispensable for a Paradeisos garden annex. Persian gardens originated from Greek and Egyptian gardens.

A rectangle was planted with fruit trees in symmetric order. Center piece was dedicated to the gloria-explosion of spring bulb colours and perfumes. This center was edged by other beds of flowers - for later blooms. Endless sources, runnels, and streams of water divided the garden into different sections.

With views, large cubierto-pasarelas surrounded the Palace, that offers peaceful contemplation of the beauty of the garden Paradeisos.

The theme of Garden held more than appreciation of nature to the Arabs...
Theme of the carpet of "Paradise" was remarkably similar to that referred to in the Qur'an. A life after death "allegorical home" for the faithful of the Koran: a garden of paradise.

Cooling, lush garden closed isolated from the burning heat of the desert and arid land. Where the nymphs of paradise look after its immortal inhabitants youth

Moorish water gardens
King Kaykhusraw 1 carpet laid the cornerstone of how Moorish gardens of water would be created thereafter in the Islamic world and the concept of garden travelled to where he became Islam, reaching Spain in the year 711.

The design of the Arab Garden was a rectangle, with a central point, source, or reflecting pool, or in a tomb as Taj Majhal symbolizes the Chahar-Bahr. Water spilled and wavy in four different directions--representing the four rivers of life. Each Corridor of water would create a separate garden that section also represented four foods of paradise on Earth.

Mohammed said: "Gardens under which rivers flow."

Heaven on Earth.

Outstanding architecture with many sources: influence of unique historical expression of Andalusia. Have you seen the Moorish gardens of water in the Alhambra in Granada, Spain? Or the great mosque of Cordoba? Do you know the Islamic symbolic meaning of the fountain in the Patio de los Leones?

Unearthing history of Spain, which was heavily influenced by its rich and diverse geography. How "Andalusia travel trends" were initiated by the Phoenicians - and have never stopped.

Visit http://www.andalucia-andalusia.com/ and find out more about the influence of Arab Spain - rooted history the Spanish Al - Andalus.

The success of agriculture Moro (first part)

Expansion of the Islamic Empire during the 7th and 8th centuries, conquered huge sections of the world, your domain is much of China, India, Persia, the Middle East, North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.

The Abbasdian Caliphate to launch the Islamic golden age during the 8th century. It was translated and released rare and valuable knowledge of ancient civilizations: Mesopotamia, Byzantine, Persia, India, China, Rome, Greece and North Africa.

The Abbasidian Caliph companions were the Umayyans of al - Andalus and the Fatimids of Egypt. Both dynasties in parallel to that enthusiasm of Abbasidian - in the Islamic "quest for knowledge".

World Trade
Trade routes of the Islamic Empire swept through vast regions of the world.
Islam acquired wisdom and expertise in global agriculture and began to trade with unknown crop.

New farming systems
The Arabs Spanish featured in vast areas of knowledge; they were clever in agriculture. Spain had a great amount of water - which was not well fitted to many areas of the country.

The masters of the use of water
Understanding of conscientious objection in the exchange of water and its consumption - the essence of great civilizations - date of 6,000 BC during times of Babylon and Persia. The Arabs were inherent experts in hydrology and knew how to raise water.

A target of al - Andalus became the distribution of water
Al - Andalusia was extracted with irrigation: irrigation canals. Water traveled to places that had never been before. Wells: water were large storage tanks and built throughout the country. A deep understanding and the use of siphons of hydrology allow the recovery of the Spanish swamp Marsh. The use of the astrolabe proved invaluable, calculating, construction of aqueducts.

The water was treated as gold
Water distribution was meticulously handled by the Tribunal of waters. The members of the Tribunal of water were elected by farmers. Waste water was punishable: nobles and slaves were treated as if guilty of abuse. Irrigation times were assigned to everyone: irrigation slots were meticulously measured and timed.

Science in agriculture Moro
Detailed observations, documented experiences and forced labour were the backbone of the agricultural green revolution. Water and hydrology were the main components of the enormous success in agriculture. Prevention of soil erosion was also studied in depth; It was long to protect the State of the soil. Steep land terraced and planted with olive trees, vines, mulberry shrubs or trees of Granada. Nothing wasted: manure, shells, shells, fibres, plants and dead matter - everything was of use.

Agriculture reached its peak during the Caliphate of Cordoba and its continued success lasted until the end of the presence of the Moors in the Iberian Peninsula. Not a person was illiterate - at that time. Moro agriculture was taught to adults in local agricultural schools. Meteorology, organic pest control, storage of food, culinary arts, wine and food preservation manners - were part of the program of agricultural studies.

Large sections of land were divided into manageable plots. He encouraged land in the Muslim Spain. Tends to a garden (or a plot) was a sacred Act of worship. Gardens and orchards of fruit trees were a reflection of paradise on Earth. Paradise mentioned many times in the Qur'an. Gardening-induced meditation and reflections for peaceful purposes; It was appraised by the royals and each topic.

Herbs and spices
Botany became popular. Herbs were studied, for many reasons, but mainly - for pharmacological needs: diuretics, laxatives, carminatives, herbs sudatory, antiseptics, analgesics, medicines, drugs, oils etc. all derived from herbs.

Royal Gardens and earthly paradise
Islam is represented by many symbols.
Islamic gardens were created according to the design of Chahar Bagh: the gardens of the Generalife and the Patio of the Lions of the Alhambra, in Andalusia, are perfect examples. Eternity: symbolized by cypress trees, flowering fruit trees: the renewal of life. Flowers of spring and summer had honored gardens day - while fragrant white flowers scented every night. All Islamic symbols of paradise on Earth.

Visit al-Andalus agriculture water secrets for more details of the Arab agriculture.

Moorish Spain by Richard Fletcher

In Moorish Spain Richard Fletcher achieved an important feat. In a brief book he tells not only the bones of almost a millennium of history, but also offers a lot to add to our understanding of the social context, both of his chosen in particular time and history in general.

Mudejar Spain do not aspire to academic excellence. Richard Fletcher declared objective is to provide a fuller account and more accurate surface Islamic State in the Iberian Peninsula that accounts offered in travel books. Also aspires to a treatment of the topic that is more accurate than the idealized position of travellers of the nineteenth century, the accounts served to create and then to perpetuate the myth.

And the received opinion that in Arabic Al - Andalus all social things were light and sweet and pure harmony is paramount in this myth. It is not so, says Fletcher, as he chronicles food repeated conflicts, you intrigues and struggles. It describes the different interests which said that the conflict, both small scale and local or higher scale and disseminated across a broad front, never went very far. When competing parties considered that they could all benefit from the interaction and trade, was suggested, largely pragmatism that keeps the peace.

His story begins in the eighth century when came the first invasion of what we today call Spain from Morocco. It ends with the expulsion of the Mozarabes in the 16th century. Meanwhile, in a fairly short and accessible book illustrates how changing alliances and opportunity for mixture of short-term gain broader viewpoints and humanitarian concerns to present a mosaic of history. And this mosaic is characterized above all by our inability to generalize. Lengthwise, it is the individual that is important.

On the contrary, it presents a series of generalized descriptions and illustrates how none of them is only partially correct. In a brief but revealing final chapter offers a generalization of their own to illustrate how dominant contemporary ideas can filter history in order to improve its own credibility. Revealing, he also reminds us how chronic history refers only to the recorded views and the life of a wealthy elite, sometimes educated. How much detail of life in the United States of the 20th century could be extracted the half of a Millennium from now if the only source was a telephone survey of Hollywood celebrities?

Richard Fletcher's book, therefore, transcends its own theme. It presents a picture round, carefully rebuilt from a huge part of the story. In such a short, of course, he may only have a relatively small amount of detail, but what is there goes far beyond what the average reader never could discover a superficial tourist guide. Style is easy but never spicy and the content has a feeling of reliability suggests that a second visit would be worthwhile.

Philip Spires
Author of mission and knot to fool, Kenya African novels
http://www.philipspires.co.UK
Migwani is a small village in the District of Kitui, Eastern Kenya. My books examines impact of economic change and social in the lives of ordinary people. They portray characters whose identity is linked to their area of origin, but whose futures are determined by the world of globaised in which they live.