MOUCHARABY

Muslim house with a moucharaby, Cairo Arabic Mashrabiyah, or Mushrabiyah , in Islamic or Islamic-influenced architecture, an oriel, or projecting second-story window of latticework. The moucharaby is a familiar feature of residences in cities of North Africa and the Middle East; in France, where it was introduced from colonial sources, it is known as moucharabieh. These windows are characterized by the use of grills or lattices to replace glass and shutters. The grills are composed of small, turned (shaped on a lathe) wooden bobbins put together in intricate geometric patterns. Moucharaby work, delicate and beautiful, provides the interior with light and air as it shades it from the hot African sun. It also permits those within to observe the street below and at the same time maintain their privacy, which was particularly important for the women of the segregated Muslim harem.