Part VII: Al Azhar Panels in Stone; Complexity.

Twelve Point plus Eight Point Star Tiling

Islamic Geometric Ornament:
Construction of the Twelve Point Islamic Star
These two rather remarkable panel compositions are found on the facade of the Mamluk Al Azhar mosque of
Cairo (in monochrome stone).
9a
They make very different visual impressions and it takes a moments reflection
to realize that these are exactly the same pattern.
The fourth order Islamic star on the right is very common in the surviving fine quality work of Mamluk Cairo.
Various versions appear in wood, stone and marble in many of the famous mosques and complexes. The eight
point star of linked almond shaped kites on the left is also common in other Mamluk work and later Ghurid
work.
There are several remarkable facts about this pattern. The central star is a 12 point star, the corner star in the
square tiling an eight point star. Yet the pattern is strewn with what appear to be regular pentagons. These
pentagons are formed by by elements of both the 12 and eight point star.
--How is the pentagonal symmetry element produced in a twelve point symmetry layout?
A mixed tiling of eight and 12 point stars was already constructed in Part VI.
--How closely related are these two figures with identical symmetries and tiling?
Alan D Adams, Holland, New York, 7 June 2013. License: Creative Commons -Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) Text, photos and drawings.
The fourth order Islamic star was already constructed in part V, with the example from the Blue mosque of
Aqsunqur. The examples constructed there were parallel arm stars. As a result, the external angles of the star
are those of the sixfold symmetry polygons, 120.
As always, moving the intersection of the arm end along the bisector of the minor layout circle introduces taper
into the star arms. There are an infinite number of tapered stars.

How is a taper selected to fit with the external angles of pentagonal symmetry? The taper here was selected at
random. It is close to the desired pentagonal symmetry, but noticeably inaccurate on close inspection. Several
more guesses would arrive at a solution, but the method is not very efficient. There also arises the problem of
how to reproduce and scale the figure. Choosing at random has some problems.
A pentagon could be constructed and the twelve point star built around its roof angles, but this is also not very
practical. A deeper look at possible divided circles provides the answer. The circle is almost always initially
divided with staggered hexagons due to the simplicity of the layout. There are other ways to lay out 12 point
divisions. The fourth order star base layout circle always needs to be moved inward from the tiling polygon.
This was accomplished with hexagons in the figures above. It can also be accomplished by spacing squares.
Only one square is needed to define the dark blue basic layout circle. At least two are needed for the next step.
The figure is examined for a defined intersection which will yield the desired angle.
The possibilities are simply surveyed, and the desired angle is found to be accessible. It is not uncommon to
find that the desired angle, or a close approximation, can be constructed easily.
The angle marked as 54 is not exact. The calculated angle is 53.894. The 0.106 error, roughly two parts in a
thousand, is certainly not exact but is only a problem for the more extreme precision requirements. In a
compass and straight edge construction, the 57 angle would have been a clearly inferior choice. The 55 angle
might or might not have been noticed as inexact.
This is the first example of empirical measurement in these constructions, but it is important to note that it is not
used to construct the layout. Measurement testing of the possible layout intersections, which is done most
easily with a carefully cut template, is used to define what intersection will be used in the layout work. Layouts
are still defined by intersections. Clearly this approximation will yield hexagonal figures with excellent
precision by visual standards. There is probably more than one such empirical solution, but a similar solution
was almost certainly used for the historic figures. No one wants to construct 12 individual pentagons!
As another useful curiosity, the approximate pentagons fit exactly in the basic layout circle. This layout will be
easy to use and scale. These observations construct about 80% of the chapter head figure with a trivial
adaptation of the usual method. The next part is not so obvious.
The eight point stars, in the center of the left side panel or in the corner of the right side panel, look very
different from the stars constructed in earlier discussions. This eight point star of linked almond shaped kites is
common and it is frequently not as different from the normal stars as it looks. To give the best visual harmony,
the eight point stars of the pattern are constructed based on the same enforced external angle as the large 12
point star. The left side fourth order star below would respond exactly to the fourth order 12 point star. This
rather odd reversed taper star is sometimes seen, but it is rare. The star could also be completed as third order
normal tapered arm eight point Islamic star in the center or the interlaced kite star on the right, a completely
different lacing of the same layout. All of these stars would mate to and respond to the larger 12 point star.
The forced choice of this external angle directly results in the unusual layouts with a reversed or a very strong
taper in the two left stars. Neither is a particularly appealing star. The alternate lacing to the interlinked kite
star is often found in cases like this where the taper in the arm of the stars would be unusual. There are other
solutions to this problem, but they can result in out of scale distorted stars.
One problem remains with this figure remains before it can be laid out. How are the stars spaced? The base
layout of a 12 plus an eight point star was already developed in the first part VI.
The first thing to try is the obvious choice. Will the same layout ratio work? The first attempt is the normal
layout circles for both 12 and eight point stars. A square is bisected corner to corner. The 45 angle in one
corner is bisected and then the 90 angle is trisected.[This is a special case; a 90 angle can be exactly trisected.]
This is just 1/4 of the staggered hexagon layout. The intersection of the bisector and the trisector defines the
ratio of the 12 point and eight point layout circles. Both layout circles pass through the point indicated in red.
The 12 point layout circle is divided with staggered hexagons as shown and radii and inter-radii are drawn.
This circle transfers the eight fold division around the layout defined by the two indicated intersections. In this
case, staggered squares are used to space the star layout inward. The base layout circle for the fourth order star
is inscribed.
The intersection marked in red above is used to set the angle of the 12 point star arm. The intersection of that
arm end with the minor layout circle bisector defines the arm layout and taper as usual. [See App.II] Drawing
the three required layout circles and connecting them yields the star polygon.
Completing the star by extending the layout inward to intersect and outward to the layout circle results in a very
pleasing tapered 12 point star. It is not yet clear how this will interlace with the corner eight fold stars. They do
not overlap. More layout elements are obviously required.
The ring of pentagons around the star, the interlace elements, are provided by extending the layout using the
external angle of the star.
These peripheral pentagons are constructed
with a circle, centered on the vertices of the
spacing squares with the radius set to the same
intersection originally used to set the arm end
layout, the roof of the pentagon.
This new circle defines four new points in
yellow where it intersects the star points and
the original base layout circle.
This pentagon is very close to a perfect
pentagon.
Extending the sides inward will define the
interlacing kites in the larger figure.
Layout circles are used to transfer the
intersections with the star points and all of the
new sides are drawn in. This construction
creates the first link between the star layouts.
If the eight point star is to respond to the 12 point star and complete the pentagonal elements, it should have the
same external angles as the 12 point star. The next task is to create that star to respond to the 12 point layout.
The dark blue line is the boundary between the 12 point and eight point layouts. The question is how to transfer
the structure and angles to the complimentary layout in the eight point space.
The structure of the eight point layout should reflect the angles and spacing of the 12 point star to preserve the
minor pentagonal elements. This is done by regarding the dark blue boundary line as a tiling plane and
recreating the structures and angles by reflection across the boundary. Simple cases of this problem have been
dealt with above and in previous examples. Reflection across a boundary is easily done by locating two points
equidistant from the reflection plane. These are almost always located with a circle.
The problem requires some preparation. Structures need to be extended to the reflection plane; the reflection
points and a convenient circles to give a cleanly defined intersection need to be identified.
The key point first used to define the external
angle of the 12 point star, in red, is
transferred by drawing a circle from the point
marked in blue, on the reflection plane, on a
layout radius.
The angle of the lines is determined by
extending the arm ends of the 12 point star to
intersect the reflection plane. Connecting
these intersections with the point mapped by
the circle creates a reflected triangle.
The resulting similar triangle in the eight
point layout space is identical to the triangle
in the 12 point layout.
Similar strategies can be used to transfer any
point across the reflection plane.
The intersection defining the pentagonal
elements are transferred similarly.
The blue points on the reflection plane define
one end of a line; a circle from that point to
the intersection of that line at the triangle
sides defines the reflection of the other end.
With these two lines reflected into the eight
point layout, that star can be defined
completely.
One more decision needs to be made. The
star can be completed as a fourth order star,
exactly mirroring the 12 point star, a third
order star, giving a less crowded layout, or
the interlaced kite star. Here the interlaced
kite is chosen. It is somewhat surprising that
the layout for that star is identical to the third
order star.
Using the transferred information, that layout
is built from the outside in.
The layout circle for the eight point star is completed, the circle is divided with two staggered squares and the
radii and inter-radii are drawn in. To construct the layout from the outside in, the end of the arm, point (a) in the
usual layout, must be identified.
With the point (a) identified, a layout
circle can be drawn through (a). One
square is drawn through any of the
eight points identified as (a) to locate
the minor layout circle. In this case,
the top of the pattern is chosen simply
to reduce crowding.
The required minor layout circle can
now be located and constructed. The
bisector is drawn and the layout
defines a complete eight point star-
constructed from the outside in.
Layout circles are drawn to transfer
the layout of the star arms and
additional layout circles are drawn to
locate the lines transferred down to
define the ring of pentagons. A total
of seven layout circles are required for
this type of star.
The star is completed as an interlaced kite but it still uses the layout of the normal eight point star for
proportions.
The star is completed by transferring the points around the layout and extending them inward, as usual, from
point (a). Completing the arms of the stars as shown on the right results in a layout which matches the Al Azhar
panels. There is some freedom to choose how the kites are defined, but this is perhaps the most common.
Completing the layout of the figure requires two simple operations. The ends of most of the pentagons will be
closed off by lines connecting points (p) and (p), in blue. All of these lines are extended beyond (p) or (p)
until they intersect a similar layout line.
Four lines, ending at points (q), in red, which will form interlacing kites are extended to intersect.
These final elements are relatively normal rules based closures of the pattern.
Seven layout circles are transferred to each corner to of the layout. The three more eight point quarter stars are
laid out and this rather elaborate layout is complete.
The layout is quite complex since it contains full layouts for five complete tapered arm Islamic stars. Despite
the number of operations, these five are not more complex than any standard star. Laying out the eight point
star from the outside in is unusual operation, but it is simply two steps in reversed order.
The only new and relatively complex operation introduced here involves transferring the layout angle from the
12 point star layout to the eight point layout.
The completed layout, with some of the construction lines used to transfer points across the reflection plane
omitted, is shown in full on the next page.

This figure should tile correctly as a square repeat, and it does. It is an even node figure, so it can be laced in
strict over under lacing.
Lacing the figure is straight forward but it introduces the last odd feature of this pattern. Two types of execution
of this pattern are found. The chapter head figure is drawn from this figure executed as both eight and 12 point
star centered frames in stone on the facade of the complex. The pattern is also executed beautifully in wood on
the minbar of the mosque of Sultan Qaitbay from Mamluk Cairo. The pattern is executed exactly as drawn here
on the minbar.
9c
The stone panels are subtly altered.
As executed on the minbar on the left. In stone on the right.
The subtle change, which alters the appearance of the pattern noticeably, is made by moving the lacing of the
pattern to the side of the layout line, from the centerline.
All other aspects of the pattern remain unchanged in the Al Azhar panels. Small adjustments such as this are
not uncommon in complex figures. The changes are usually very small, as in this case, and very well defined.
This is avery complex figure which agrees with the historical work extremely well, but it is still based on the
simple rules set introduced in chapter one. It is a very nice demonstration of the power of A.J. Lees method.
The layout as drawn overlain on David Wades photo of the Al Azhar panel, EGY1007. Copyright to David Wade
References
9) a) Two panels on the facade of the Al Azhar Mosque, Cairo originally established 972 AH. Wades image
EGY1007, EGY1011 twelve star centered, EGY1005 Eight star centered.
b) Side of a minbar, al Ghuriyya Complex, Cairo established 909 AH (1504 CE). Wades image,
www.patterninislamicart.com EGY1721, EGY1722, EGY1723.
c) Side of minbar, mosque of Sultan QaitBay, Cairo 879 AH (1474 CE), Wades Image EGY1401,
EGY1402, EGY1403, EGY1406.
d) From tilingsearch.org, their reference T01472, data174/P117; Mosque of Ghanim al-Bahlawan, minbar,
Cairo, Egypt established 883 AH, (1478 CE).