﻿MODERN 
  LIFE 
  IN 
  THE 
  CRADLE 
  OF 
  CIVILIZATION 
  

  

  Photograph 
  by 
  Eric 
  Keast 
  Burke 
  

  

  THE 
  IRIDESCENT 
  GATEWAY 
  OF 
  A 
  MOSQUE 
  IN 
  BAGDAD 
  

   Richly 
  colored 
  tiles 
  arranged 
  in 
  geometrical 
  designs 
  distinguish 
  the 
  mosques 
  in 
  the 
  city 
  of 
  Haroun 
  Al 
  Raschid. 
  

   Because 
  the 
  Moslems 
  are 
  forbidden 
  by 
  their 
  religion 
  to 
  represent 
  living 
  things 
  in 
  art 
  their 
  development 
  of 
  orna- 
  

   mental 
  designs 
  is 
  worthy 
  of 
  note. 
  Over 
  the 
  doorof 
  this 
  mosque, 
  between 
  the 
  stars 
  and 
  crescents, 
  is 
  an 
  adaptation 
  of 
  

   a 
  Turkish 
  sultan's 
  signature 
  in 
  Arabic 
  which 
  has 
  been 
  utilized 
  with 
  considerable 
  decorative 
  effect. 
  The 
  multihued 
  

   robes 
  of 
  the 
  loiterers 
  before 
  the 
  entrance 
  remind 
  one 
  of 
  similar 
  scenes 
  at 
  Bokhara 
  and 
  Samarkand. 
  

  

  II 
  

  

  