Mansion of Zaynab Khatun, constructed 1713 (Ottoman), Cairo, Egypt
Photographer: Issam Hajjar, 2013
Stucco-stained glass windows, commonly called qamariyyat, derive from the Arabic word "qamar," meaning moon-like, and shamsiyyat from "shams," meaning sun-like. In Egypt, these windows often accompany mashrabiyyat (wooden screens). While their poetic name, romantic appearance, and elegance are notable, these windows offer more than just aesthetic value. This particular photo shows how the windows are installed with a hinge on their central axis, allowing them to be rotated open. Typically, these windows are fixed to the wall or mashrabiyya and are not meant to be opened, as they are usually installed high on the wall, out of reach. However, in this house, the ability to open them enables additional air circulation. On the MIT windows, there were no traces of axial hinges. Instead, the windows have metal latches at the top and bottom of the frame, identical to those found on the windows fixed and closed above a mashrabiyya at Bayt al-Razzaz in Cairo.