Mathematics and Arts: Connections between Theory and Practice in the Medieval Islamic World

Abstract Two mathematical sources, On the Geometric Constructions Necessary for the Artisan , by Abu'l-Wafā' (ca. 940–998), and the anonymous work, On Interlocks of Similar or Corresponding Figures (ca. 1300), provide us with insight into the collaboration between mathematicians and artisans in the Islamic world. In this paper I present a series of quotations from these two sources, which show that mathematicians taught geometry to artisans by means of cut-and-paste methods and of geometrical figures that had the potential of being used for ornamental purposes. Copyright 2000 Academic Press. Matematikle ilgili iki kaynak bize Islam dunyasinda matematikciler ile sanatkarlar arasindaki isbirligi konusunda aydinlatici bilgiler sunuyor. Bu kaynaklardan biri Abu'l-Vefa (ca. 940–998) tarafindan yazilan “Sanatkarin ihtiyac duydugu geometrik cizimler,” digeri anonim bir yazarin kaleme aldigi “Icice gecen benzer veya karsilikli sekiller” (ca. 1300). Bu iki kaynaktan derledigim bir dizi alintiya yer verdigim bu makalede goruyoruz ki matematikciler sanatkarlara kes-ve-yapistir yontemiyle geometri ogretirken, ayni zamanda onerdikleri geometrik sekillerin bezeme sanatlarinda kullanilabilir olmasina ozen gosteriyorlardi. Copyright 2000 Academic Press. MSC subject classifications: 01A30, 01A20.