Chapter 12 The Ceremonial Ensemble of the Umayyad Caliphate at Madīnat al-Zahrāʾ
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Abstract
This paper examines the role of Madīnat al-Zahrāʾ in establishing the court ceremonial of the Umayyad Caliphate. The ceremonial route, spaces, and buildings mentioned in the written sources are identified with the buildings excavated in the alcazar (al-qaṣr). The exact date of their construction is determined, not as part of the foundational phase of the city but as the product of a major subsequent urban renovation. The uniqueness of this space as a ceremonial ensemble made up of two political reception halls is analyzed, particularly the novel construction of a majlis for the heir apparent. Finally, the creation of this ceremonial complex is associated with the competition between the Fatimid and the Umayyad Caliphates.