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Stealing from the Saracens (signed)

£25

Out of Stock

Free UK delivery on orders £60 and over

Order by 14 Dec for UK delivery by Christmas

Against a backdrop of Islamophobia, Europeans are increasingly airbrushing from history their cultural debt to the Muslim world. But this legacy lives on in some of Europe’s most recognisable buildings, from Notre-Dame Cathedral to the Houses of Parliament. This beautifully illustrated book reveals the Arab and Islamic roots of Europe’s architectural heritage. Diana Darke traces ideas and styles from vibrant Middle Eastern centres like Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo, via Muslim Spain, Venice and Sicily into Europe. She describes how medieval crusaders, pilgrims and merchants encountered Arab Muslim culture on their way to the Holy Land; and explores more recent artistic interaction between Ottoman and Western cultures, including Sir Christopher Wren’s inspirations in the ‘Saracen’ style of Gothic architecture. Recovering this long yet overlooked history of architectural ‘borrowing’, Stealing from the Saracens is a rich tale of cultural exchange, shedding new light on Europe’s greatest landmarks. A New Statesman Book of the Year 2020, chosen by William Dalrymple. A BBC History Magazine Best Book of 2020.

Author/Artist/Designer

Diana Darke

Pages

474 pages

Dimensions

23.62cm x 3.3cm x 16.26cm

ISBN

9781787383050

Colour

Product code

161753

Delivery

 

Please note, during the busy festive season, there may be additional time required for delivery.

 

Recommended final order dates for delivery in time for Christmas:

Sunday 14 December for standard UK orders
Friday 5 December for Custom Prints or International orders

 

Our standard delivery charges and estimated timescales are as follows. Selected product exceptions apply; see product details. International deliveries may also be subject to customs fees, tariffs or taxes upon arrival, which are your responsibility.

Standard delivery per order
UK
£5 – or FREE for orders over £60
*5-8 working days
We're working to return to our usual 3-6 asap.
Europe & Northern Ireland
Temporarily suspended while we update for GPSR
Temporarily suspended while we update for GPSR
USA
Temporarily suspended for a change in tariff regulations
Temporarily suspended for a change in tariff regulations
Rest of World
£30
10-14 working days

Custom prints

 

Each print is made to order and dispatched separately to other V&A Shop products, for UK delivery only. The charges and estimated timescales below are in addition to our standard delivery charge when bought together with a V&A Shop product. However, delivery is free for all orders over £60.

Custom print delivery (UK only)
Unframed
£9 per order – or FREE for orders over £60
6-10 working days
Framed
£15 per print – or FREE for orders over £60
6-10 working days

 

Returns

 

An extended returns window is granted for purchases over the Christmas period. Orders placed from Saturday 1 November 2025 can be returned until Tuesday 20 January 2026, subject to our usual eligibility criteria.

We hope you are happy with your V&A Shop purchase. However, if you are not, most items are eligible for a full refund, subject to the criteria below. Refunds are offered for items in an unused, unopened condition, and with original packaging – with the following exceptions. This does not affect your statutory rights.

The following items are excluded from our returns policy and cannot be refunded unless faulty, damaged, or not as described:

  1. Custom prints and other items made to your specification or personalised;
  2. Items that have been sealed for hygiene reasons, where the seal has been broken, such as beauty products, soap, pierced earrings, hosiery, socks, sunglasses and face coverings;
  3. Perishable or edible items such as flowers or food;
  4. Memberships, tickets for exhibitions, bookings for events and courses.

 

For full details, visit our Delivery & Returns page.