A modular design system based on the Star and Cross pattern

Abstract

We introduce a modular design system, which we call the Central Asian modular design system (CAMS), that is based on the pre-Islamic Star and Cross pattern. It can be used to generate a large family of traditional Islamic patterns found in Central Asia and Iran. In other examples of Islamic modular systems, the modules form a substrate that is used in construction and then deleted; in this case the modules themselves form the finished pattern. We also analyse some traditional two-level geometric patterns as hierarchical structures of CAMS modules, corroborating the principles of two-level pattern construction found in other Islamic modular systems.

Keywords:

• Islamic geometric art
• modular design
• two-level pattern
• Star and Cross pattern

AMS Subject Classifications:

• 51M15
• 51F15
• 52C20