Architectural exchanges between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula: Muqarnas in al-Andalus

Muqarnas consists of the juxtaposition of prisms suspended from domes, arches or cornices. This decorative element was used in architecture; it probably originated in what today is Iraq and expanded over the fifth/eleventh century onwards. This study seeks to contribute to the study of the history of muqarnas by exploring how exchanges between North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula mediated the circulation and use of this element. Torres Balbas considered that the Almohads (454-541/1062-1147) introduced muqarnas in al-Andalus. However, we know, now thanks to the Andalusi geographer al-'Udhri (393-478/1003-85), that the term muqarnas was mentioned in documents related to the Ta'ifa of Almeria already in the second half of the fifth/eleventh century. Such documentary reference makes it possible to verify its presence in southern al-Andalus prior to its appearance in Almohad buildings. The contention of this paper is that in order to understand the introduction of muqarnas decoration into al-Andalus, it is first necessary to look at the presence and use of this decorative style in North Africa. An earlier occurrence was probable and possible due to exchanges between Almeria and North African ports, more specifically due to the presence of artists coming from Qal'at Bani Hammad (397-547/1007-1152), in today's Algeria near Maadid, where the oldest use of muqarnas in North Africa has been documented.