Goods of the Earth has studied the production of complex fabrics (taqueté, lampas), ceramics, and metal objects in the medieval Islamic marketplace. The production of these objects and the organization of marketplaces is not known until today. For example, we do not know with certainty what the medieval drawloom looked like and how the textile patterns were read in (or programmed in other words). In addition to the production of these objects, the project was also devoted to the social position of craftsmen within the medieval Islamic world. Although we find signatures of craftsmen on numerous metal objects, ceramics as well as complex fabrics, they are not explicitly mentioned in biographical works or elsewhere. Their function in the manufacturing process of signed artifacts is also unclear. Do the signatures refer to the commissioner, to the designer of the design, or to the person who actually brings the design to the object? These questions lead us back to the organization of the marketplace and the organization of the various steps in the making of these objects. As we learn more about how the craftsmen were organized, it becomes possible to understand these signatures in more detail. In addition to the unfamiliarity of the artisans, it is also unclear what their legal status was - were they free or enslaved?
To get to the bottom of these questions, I worked with an Islamic legal source. It is the Ḥisba of the market overseer (muḥtasib) al-Saqaṭī, who lived in Malaga during the 12th century. His most important task was to prevent illegal activities in the marketplace of Malaga. He describes these for various trades that were carried out in the marketplace, and in some places he describes the quality of objects in great detail. His work is therefore interesting not only for legal historians but also for art historians.
Knowing and learning more about the making of objects in medieval Islamic marketplaces, the organization and division of labor, and the social and legal status of artisans, allows us in some places to have a more nuanced view and understanding of how objects are made today. For example, by studying al-Saqaṭī's source, I became aware that people in textile manufacturing were treated poorly and had a low social status even in the Middle Ages. The question arises to what extent the prestige of certain professions in our society has grown historically.
Objectives of this project are to learn more about the organization of a medieval marketplace through the Ḥisba of al-Saqaṭī and the production of complex fabrics, ceramics and metal objects. Further, the social and legal status of artisans, especially weavers, in the medieval Islamic world will be studied. Finally, objects mentioned in the Ḥisba but which have received little attention within previous art historical discourse (for example, weaving weights or bread seals).
Furthermore, the results of this project will strengthen the position of textiles, but also other objects of applied art, within (Islamic) art history.
