Artisans (pre-1500) - Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE
General Material Designation
[Article]
First Statement of Responsibility
Shatzmiller, Maya
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.
Leiden
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
Brill
GENERAL NOTES
Text of Note
(3,287 words)
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
The term artisan in this entry refers to a skilled craftsman or craftswoman who exercised a specialised manufacturing technique, as opposed to the unskilled labourer, in mediaeval Islamic societies. As a specialised group within the labour force, artisans were responsible for building and manufacturing items for everyday use as well as luxury items destined for local consumption or export. Understanding the organisation of the manufacturing sector and measuring its performance, providing data about the patterns of manufacturing, division of labour and specialisation, as well as the social organisation of artisanal