‘The World of the Fatimids’ to exhibit in North America

CAIRO – 1 March 2018: An exhibition revolving around the Fatimid Caliphate titled “The World of the Fatimids” will soon open in North America, and will run from March 10 until July 2, 2018.

Hosted at the Aga Khan Museum, the exhibition features a range of items belonging to the Fatimid dynasty, and will be the first time these artifacts have ever been displayed in North America.

Responsible for Cairo's Al-Azhar University and the Al-Hakim Mosque, the Fatimid Caliphate was the height of artistic and scientific thinking during the 10th and 11th century, greatly influencing culture throughout the European, Mediterranean and Near Eastern regions.

The Fatimid Caliphate ranged primarily across North Africa, ruling from 910 to 1171 AD. Their goal was to attempt to unite the entire Arab world into one Empire, though the Fatimid's were also renowned for their high level of religious tolerance; Christians and Jews were allowed high-ranks, based on their skills and not their faiths. The Fatimid's were responsible for transforming Egypt into a highly successful center of trade, due to their discovery of a new eastern route.

According to Ahram Online, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities’ Head of museums Elham Salah told Ahram Online that the number of artifacts for the exhibit is around 37. These were collected from the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo's Bab Al-Khalq. These artifacts include rock crystal and ivory, monumental marble reliefs, ceramic lusterware (a technique popular during the Fatimid Dynasty), marble vases, copper lamps, chandeliers with kufic script and much more.

The exhibition will also feature films on Cairo's Fatimid era, utilizing drone footage and 360 VR technologies to provide an incredible look into the past.