Aleppo: Wood Workers

Date: 1168-69

The Zengid ruler, Nur al-Din, commissioned a monumental minbar. The masterpiece was installed in the Aqsa mosque by Salah al-Din (Saladin) after the conquest of Jerusalem in 1187. Aleppo was seen as a major centre in the creation of intricate, inlaid woodwork, wooden mihrabs, minbars, in addition to architectural furniture. These productions have been identified in other regions of Syria and Palestine.

Citation: Bloom, Jonathan, 2009: “Woodwork in Syria, Palestine and Egypt during the 12th and 13th centuries”, in Robert Hillenbrand & Sylvie Auld, eds, Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250, London, Altajir Trust, pp. 129-146.