Although originally displayed outdoors, these decorative column capitals reflect the importance of vegetal designs and the presence of Greek and Roman aesthetic elements in the arts of the Islamic world. Leafy vines, formed of S- and C-shaped scrolls, were often used to frame figures in the art of the ancient Mediterranean. Adapted by Islamic artists and artisans, these secondary decorative motifs assumed a primary position in religious and public settings where figural representation was avoided. No longer a subsidiary feature, entwined vegetal ornamentation became increasingly abstract. The placement of the two 8th century capitals which decorated the tops of supporting architectural columns may seem surprising beside decorative tiles and furnishings made more than 1,000 years later, in the 18th century. Yet, given the durability of the material and unchanging nature of the pre-19th century environment, such juxtapositions were not uncommon. The capitals are decorated with acanthus leaf and scroll motifs derived from the Greek and Roman vocabulary. Whereas vegetal motifs were secondary to human figures in Greek and Roman art, in the hands of Islamic artists and artisans those non-human elements assumed the primary position. An aversion to idolatry and reluctance to assume anything close to the God’s role as creator led them to avoid figural depictions.