"Despite political upheavals under Muslim domination in the Middle Ages, Palestine was a center of great artistic activity and was recognized for its incredible dynamism. Its unique contribution to the Islamic "macrocosm" however, never became the subject of extensive study. The numerous archeological excavations on this relatively small geographic area reveal the existence of extremely well preserved monuments of high architectural quality and exceptional religious value. This is what Myriam Rosen-Ayalon exposes in this thorough introduction to Palestinian Islamic art and archeology."