What features of the Dome of the Rock show the development of an early Islamic visual style?

The Dome of the Rock, built in the late 7th century, represents a pivotal moment in the emergence of a distinct Islamic visual style. While its structural and decorative techniques are rooted in the Byzantine tradition, it introduces key features that define early Islamic aesthetics.1

Significant features include:

• Aniconism: Unlike Byzantine public buildings, the mosaics at the Dome of the Rock exclude all representations of human or animal forms.1
• Integration of Script: The decoration prominently features Arabic script, specifically Qur'ānic passages and paraphrases, which serve both as religious expression and as an ornamental device to emphasize the building's structural lines.12
• Vegetal and Symbolic Motifs: The mosaics incorporate vegetal patterns intermixed with images of jewels and crowns. While these motifs draw from pre-Islamic Mediterranean and Iranian vocabularies, the crowns are thought to symbolize empires conquered by Islam, reflecting an early use of visual forms for ideological purposes.12
• Structural Configuration: The building utilizes an octagonal base and a central dome, reflecting a transition toward monumental Islamic architecture that sought to rival contemporary Christian holy sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.1