National
February 13, 2021
LAHORE: Day two of the Afkar-e-Taza ThinkFest started with the book talk by author Diana Darke on her new book, ‘Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe,’ in conversation with architect Raza Al Dada.
According to a press release, Darke started by pointing out that her title was a bit mischievous: ‘Saracens means those who steal, and so the book is about stealing from those the West called thieves in the first place’ she said. She then exclaimed that there is a lot and misinformation and confusion regarding the architectural styles which rose to prominence in the Middle Ages in Europe. She showed slides of early Christian churches where their architectural designs were transmitted to the West through the Islamic world, an example of which was the St. Simeon Basilica in northern Syria.