Eman Shokry Hesham

Publication: The Mamluk Opus Sectile Art: Featuring Mamluk Architectural Decorations

Eman Shokry Hesham is a researcher on the History of Islamic Art and Architecture and focuses on the history of architectural ornaments.

The Mamluk Opus Sectile Art highlights a type of Mamluk architectural decoration as both a medieval Mediterranean and Islamic art, which developed uniquely within its historical and geographical context. Opus sectile is a type of decoration that employs colourful stone inlay arranged in complex geometric patterns.

Two versatile approaches work hand in hand to structure the book's narrative through both macro and micro lenses. Comparative analyses with contemporary parallels in the Mediterranean and a careful study of its characteristics: materials, technique, and design are the key foundation of the book. With its rich visual material of drawings and photographs, it engages a wide range of readers with the world of Islamic decorative arts from a fresh perspective.