▁ex changes ▁of ▁populations ▁and ▁of ▁corresponding ▁art ▁practices ▁and ▁techniques . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁two ▁civil izations ▁had ▁regular ▁relationships ▁through ▁diplom acy ▁and ▁trade ▁that ▁facil itated ▁cultural ▁ex changes . ▁Islam ic ▁art ▁covers ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁media ▁including ▁call ig raph y , ▁illustrated ▁manuscript s , ▁text iles , ▁cer am ics , ▁metal work ▁and ▁glass , ▁and ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁art ▁of ▁Muslim ▁countries ▁in ▁the ▁Near ▁East , ▁Islam ic ▁Spain , ▁and ▁Northern ▁Africa , ▁though ▁by ▁no ▁means ▁always ▁Muslim ▁artists ▁or ▁craft s men . ▁G lass ▁production , ▁for ▁example , ▁remained ▁a ▁Jewish ▁special ity ▁throughout ▁the ▁period , ▁and ▁Christian ▁art , ▁as ▁in ▁Co ptic ▁Egypt ▁continued , ▁especially ▁during ▁the ▁earlier ▁centuries , ▁keeping ▁some ▁contacts ▁with ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Islam ic ▁decor ative ▁arts ▁were ▁highly ▁val ued ▁imports ▁to ▁Europe ▁throughout ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges ; ▁largely ▁because ▁of ▁uns us pected ▁acc idents ▁of ▁surv ival ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁surv iving ▁examples ▁are ▁those ▁that ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁church . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁period ▁text iles ▁were ▁especially ▁important , ▁used ▁for ▁church ▁vest ments , ▁shr oud s , ▁hang ings ▁and ▁cl othing ▁for ▁the ▁el ite . ▁Islam ic ▁pot tery ▁of ▁every day ▁quality ▁was ▁still ▁preferred ▁to ▁European ▁war es . ▁Because ▁decor ation ▁was ▁mostly ▁orn amental , ▁or ▁small ▁hunting ▁scenes ▁and ▁the ▁like , ▁and ▁ins cri ptions ▁were ▁not ▁understood ,