Prayer+Rugs

This prayer rug is a very common rug for Muslims. it is a 3 x 5 foot piece of fabric that shows a mosque with the kaaba inside of it with people around the Kaaba. this specific mosque is the one located in Mecca. the red one is Bellini carpet, Anatolia, late 15th to early 16th century. The mat symbolically describes the environment of a mosque, with the entrance (the "keyhole"), and the mihrab (the forward corner) with its hanging lamps.

Prayer Rugs are used to have a clean place to pray. During Islamic prayers Muslims will bow down and kneel down to god. when they bow down their forehead, nose, both hands, knees and all toes touching the ground all at the same time while facing mecca. Muslims will use this for every time they pay which is five times a day. a prayer rug isn't required for Muslims but it is a way to ensure a clean place to pray and it creates an isolated place to focus on praying.

Reaserch

I Found my sources by looking up going through art websites until i found one that has decent information on it. i also used Wikipedia as a sort of base to start with and build on that with sources focused more on the topics in much more depth and that explained the use and descriptions of the prayer rugs.

Bibliography

Oleg Grabar, et al. " Islamic art ." //Grove Art Online//. //Oxford Art Online//. 11 Nov. 2009 < http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T041771pg36 >. "Prayer rug." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. 21 Oct 2009, 20:31 UTC. 10 Nov 2009 <[]>. "Prayer Rugs". Silk Road Trading Co. 11/10/2009 <[]>. "Sujud." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. 20 Aug 2009, 13:40 UTC. 10 Nov 2009 <[]>.