I In Samarra Research Paper

(750–1258) Under the Abbasid caliphate, which succeeded the Umayyads in 750, the topic of Islamic political and cultural life shifted eastward from Syria to Iraq, where Baghdad, the circular City of Peace, was founded as the new capital. The Abbasids later built another city north of Baghdad, called Samarra meaning “He who sees it rejoices”, which replaced the capital for about 40 years. Three centuries of Abbasid rule were a golden age in which Baghdad and Samarra’ functioned as the cultural capitals of the Islamic world. During this time, a style emerged and new techniques were developed that spread throughout the Muslims and greatly influenced Islamic art and architecture. Since the new style was used throughout the Muslims, Baghdad and Samarra’ became associated with the new artistic and architectural trends. As virtually nothing remains from Abbasid Baghdad today, the site of Samarra’ is significant for understanding the art and architecture of the Abbasid time.
In pottery, Samarra’ also found a use of color in decoration and, possibly, the introduction of the technique of luster painting over a white canvas. Admired for its glittering effect of precious metal, luster painting, the most notable technical achievement at the time, spread in the following centuries from Iraq to Spian, to Syria, to Iran, and also took part in the development of ceramic decor in the Western world. In terms of architecture, along with the palace of Jawsaq al-Khaqani the mosques of al-Mutawakkil and Abu Dulaf in Samarra’ were important in setting the style that was originated in regions as far as Egypt or Central Asia, where it was adapted to need and