Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Geometrical patterns are used throughout the art and architecture of the Islamic lands. They range from the simple division of a surface into triangles or squares to very intricate repeating designs that use combinations of curved and straight lines. These patterns are very flexible and can be applied to many different surfaces.

Although Islamic scholars had a sophisticated knowledge of mathematics and geometry derived from the Greeks, decorative designs were not usually created by mathematicians. Skilled craftsmen built patterns of great complexity using simple geometrical rules.