Upon research into Islamic art, i came across an extremely fascinating article by Roger Burrows who theorises the geometric patterns within Islamic art have meaning. With the use of the Abjad number system Burrows translates the artwork with the use of an old Arabic root dictionary.
“Roger Burrows in his book “The Arabs”, imagine that the use of the Abjad system to store coded messages in Islamic geometric designs is the true basis of these beautiful Islamic geometric patterns. he Abjad system is a type of writing system where each symbol always or usually stands for a consonant, leaving the reader to supply the appropriate vowel, allowing messages to appear only to those who know of and can decipher the system.“
“where the close packing is limited to the area shown in the first line drawing. The master craftsmen then drew in the core numbers in terms of five and ten sided polygons. After that there is more complex development of five and ten sided rosettes drawn within the five and ten sided polygons. The above, three, line drawings show the first steps of the construction. There were, apparently, a number of primary design systems used to embed messages and then a methodology for applying them“
He uses the 5 and 10 numeric values and creates meaning often finding that the translation relates to the surrounding environment in which the artwork is within.This shows the captivating intersection of Islamic art, geometry, and language, specifically through Roger Burrows’ exploration of the Abjad number system within these intricate designs.
It shows a fascinating viewpoint that views geometric patterns as a type of language. When shapes are carefully arranged and interwoven, they take on symbolic meaning. In order to understand this language, the Abjad number system is presented, indicating that the geometric patterns are more than just decorative—rather, they contain decipherable messages. In relation to Sound, this gives the images audible value through the use of vocal readability.
“In Islamic art the geometric figure of the circle represents the primordial symbol of unity and the ultimate source of all diversity in creation. The natural division of the circle into regular divisions is the ritual starting point for many traditional Islamic patterns, as demonstrated in the drawings below.” (Artofislamicpattern.com, 2023)
SOURCES:
admin (2012). ABJAD Designs Store Coded Messages. [online] Roger Burrows | Keynote speaker and lecturer. Author ‘3D Thinking in Design and Architecture from Antiquity to the Future.’ Developer of 3D geometries. Also runs ideation workshops.. Available at: https://rogerburrowsimages.com/2012/06/abjad-designs/ [Accessed 6 Nov. 2023].