Islamic Stuff

Treasures from Aga Khan collection displayed in Berlin, show underlines breadth of Islamic art
BERLIN - More than 200 items from the Aga Khan's collection of Islamic treasures are going on show in Berlin in an exhibition spanning a millennium and covering half the globe.
A chestnut leaf delicately inscribed with golden calligraphy greets visitors at the start of the show of works collected by the billionaire philanthropist and illustrating the breadth of Islamic culture.
Dating back to the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century, it is one of the newest pieces presented Tuesday at the Martin Gropius Bau gallery. Exhibits date back as far as a green-glazed pilgrim's flask from the 7th or 8th century.
Organizers hope "to present to our western public the pluralism of the Islamic cultures," Luis Monreal, the managing director of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, told reporters.
"We in general view Islam as a single cultural identity and this is simply a wrong perception, because Islam over 13 centuries has been a religion practiced by a great diversity of people," he said.