Symmetries of Islamic Geometrical Patterns

Book excerpt: ... a major contribution to the world of science and of particular value to the documention of the culture of Islam. N Gedal ... a masterly account of the way in which art and science are combined into aesthetic beauty by the Islamic geometric designs and motifs which decorate much of the Eastern World. M Evans ... This book will allow readers to travel through time and space, from ancient ornaments to the most modern computer graphics patterns. C. Pickover Ever since the discovery of the existence of seventeen space groups in two dimensions by Fedorov in 1891, it has been speculated that all seventeen could be found in Islamic art. But it is in this book that this remarkable fact is for the first time detailed and analysed, with beautiful illustrations. Rarely is there such a thought-provoking blend of esthetics and geometry with abstraction. C N Yang Geometrical form. Here, mathematics combines with art and exhibits clearly its aesthetic appeal Islamic patterns provide a marvellous illustration of symmetry and Drs. Abas and Salman perform a useful service by taking this as their theme and blending it with ideas on computer graphics. Foreword by Michael Atiyah Abas and Salman have assembled a fascinating collection that combines art, history, culture, science, mathematics and philosophy. Their examples range from a 12th-century minaret in Uzbekistan via the Alhambra in Granada to modern computer graphics of Koranic calligraphy on dodecahedrons and tori. They conclude by speculating on the prospect of creating Islamic patterns in virtual reality, where 'a seeker after unity in science and art would be able to submerge himself or herself in exquisite Alhambras of the mind'.Judging by the evidence presented here, it would be an unforgettable experience. New Scien