Images

Species of the genus ephedra, native to Iran. The plant haoma is thought to be of the genus ephedra (though this is contested) and was pressed for its juice which was then consumed to produce an altered, elevated, state of consciousness...

Northwest Africa after 743 CE, when the Umayyad Caliphate had been overthrown in the region by the Berber Revolt of 739 - 743 CE.

The Cuerdale Hoard is one of the largest found Viking hordes containing over 8,000 pieces of Viking jewelry, bullion, and coins. It was discovered 15 May 1840 CE in the Ribble Valley, a once bustling route for Vikings travelling between the...

Dirhams (silver coins) minted in the reign of the last Caliph of the Umayyad dynasty: Marwan II (r. 744-750 CE). Made c. 746/747 CE, in al-Jazira.

"Bataille de Poitiers, en octobre 732" (French for "Battle of Poitiers, in October 732") by Charles de Steuben (1788 - 1856). The painting is a romanticized depiction of the Frankish general Charles Martel (718-741) fighting against the Umayyad...

Batalla de Guadalete (Spanish for "The Battle of Guadalete") by the Spanish painter Salvador Martinez Cubells (1845-1914 CE). The painting depicts the historical Battle of Guadalete in 711 CE, fought between the Umayyad Caliphate and Rodric...

An Umayyad silver coin (dirham) issued by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik (r. 724-743 CE). Made in Damascus, c. 724-743 CE.

Silver dirham from the reign of Umar II (r. 717 - 720 CE). Minted c. 718/719 CE. Basra, Iraq.

A gold dinar of Abd al-Malik (r. 685-705 CE) minted in Damascus in 697/98 CE. Abd al-Malik introduced an independent Islamic currency in 693 CE, which initially bore depictions of the caliph before being abandoned for coins solely containing...

A map depicting the divisions of the Islamic Empire during the second Islamic civil war - the Second Fitna. The dominions of the Umayyads, Zubayrids, Kharjites, Al Mukhtar and those regained by the Byzantines are shaded in colors as indicated...