Motives for this initiative The interest demonstrated by a lot of colleagues and the special singularity in the history and in the archaeological patrimony of Spain have encouraged us to organize this meeting. Although a little removed from our initial chronological and geographical parameters, we organise a parallel conference entitled The century after Qadisiya, which at the same time encourages the presentation of papers related solely to the period of transition and definition of the Islamic culture that spread from the roman-byzantine and parthian-sassanian periods to the configuration of the Caliphate-period archaeology. Our target is to reveal the common and shared roots of the Eastern peoples in the formation of the Early Islamic Period. Note: Timetable and all abstracts will be presented in brief Coordinator: Sergio Martínez Lillo - Illuminating Ancient Streets: GIS-assisted analysis of urban change in Gerasa/Jarash in the Byzantine and Early Islamic perionds Ian Rhodric Simpson (Copenhagen University) Abstract Gerasa/Jarash has enjoyed a long history of archaeological investigation but this has also led to a fragmentary body of archaeological data. This paper brings together overlooked and unpublished photographic and cartographic records from late nineteenth and early twentieth century expeditions in order to shed new light on development of the town in the Byzantine and Islamic periods. By integrating these data in a GIS, a picture is presented of buildings over the South Tetrakionion, Cardo and Oval Piazza that were cleared away by early excavations. Analysis of urban infilling and changes to the water system demonstrates the expanding commercial role of central Jarash in the Early Islamic period. Examination of the town pattern as a whole reveals continuity, probably into the Islamic period, of a significant neighbourhood west of the Cardo, and indicates the layout of the east side of the ancient city, now built over by modern Jarash. - Golestan Palace Glazing Tiles Farahnaz Firouzechian (Golestan Palace, Arg sq., Tehran, Iran) and Ali Pandidan (Technical Office of the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization, Masoudieh Historical complex, Tehran, Iran) Abstract Golestan palace complex is a monument which has left as a memorial from "Tehran's Historical Arg", used to be the residence of Ghajar (1779-1921) Kings and is one of the most beautiful aged constructions in the 200 year old Iranian capital, Tehran. The history of this palace goes back to Safavid period (1484-1727). This historical complex consists of twelve individual building, each of those were so perfectly decorated with incredible ornaments that let the Golestan palace, alone, has one of the greatest collections of ornaments in the whole country. Beautiful moldings, wonderful mirror-encrusted stalactites besides eye-catching tile works are not the only ornaments used to make the king's residence more magnificent. The huge amount of glazing tile works in the palace is a great encounter with different styles and figures. There are two outstanding features in the glazed tile works of this palace. Before Ghajar period, glazing tiles were mostly used in mosques and religious buildings. Artists of Ghajar period gave a new birth to this art by using tile works in Golestan palace building and put an end to this restriction. The Golestan tile works were influenced by the European art, mostly because of the travels of royal family to Europe. These influences in Iranian Architecture and Architectural ornaments lead to an imperfect renovation of these arts. For instance, one of the palace of the Naser-e-din shah (1843-1892) was decorated with the pictures of half naked women to look like European palaces, although is against the Islamic rules. In this article it is tried to analyze each of these glazing tile figures, therefore they are categorized into different groups and are discussed in details. The categories are as follows: human figures, legendary figures, figures of Sports, horse riding and hunting, figures of Iranian and foreign buildings, figures of birds, figures of entertainment, fighting with wild animals, figures of flowers and vases, figures of flowers with fruits, flowers and fruits in royal dishes or beautiful baskets. The classification is mostly based on motifs and Anthropology data that will be discussed in the article itself, besides, each of the buildings of this royal complex and its ornaments including not only the glazing tiles, but also other ornaments such as moldings and different types of mirror-encrusted, need to be introduced. - Manifestaciones artísticas sobre papel de Oriente Próximo a Al Andalus Ana Isabel Beneyto Lozano (Departamento Historia del Arte, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) Abstract The artistic manifestations, painting on paper, papyrus and parchment have a great importance for the understanding of the Islamic art and culture. Most of the researches on miniatures have been centred in the ones illuminated from the 13th century. But we have a lack information about the ones made before that period and there´s a lot of material pending of a deep investigation. The importance of the book in the Islam is indisputable, an object that unify a community, the umma, and at the same time the three religions called the “book religions”. It was a luxury element richly decorated and bond, as we will see in the images shown in the conference. This paper tries to be a “trip”, could be called: “The Images Trip”, and made a travel from Yemen to Spain, to Al Andalus, showing the richness of the Islamic painting on paper heritage. The influences from greco-romanic and sasanid worlds will be discussed and shown in all this illustrations, also the motifs function or the reason of their existence, and how some similar images are present in different places and different times. In 1972 were found some fragments on the Great mosque of Sana´a, Yemen. Qur´anic parchment fragments from the first years of the Islam, in which we can see some of this images, human, geometric or floral flashy because of the richness of their decorations. The next stop will be in Egypt, Fustat or Old Cairo, where it was found in an excavation, tombs with pottery, canvas and parchment or paper fragments. Most of them with richness decorations dated form the 8th century. Then this trip will finish in Spain, Al Andalus were it will be shown a group of miniatures represented in Qur´ans and other kind of books, as a result of all the development of this art discipline that cover all the Islamic art.