He following is a passage from william stearns davis, ed., readings in ancient history: illustrative extracts from the sources, 2 vols. "baghdad was a veritable city of palaces, not made of stucco and mortar, but of marble. the buildings were usually of several stories. the palaces and mansions were lavishly gilded and decorated, and hung with beautiful tapestry and hangings of brocade or silk. the rooms were lightly and tastefully furnished with luxurious divans, costly tables, unique chinese vases and gold and silver ornaments." --medieval sourcebook. paul halsall, fordham university, 1998. the depiction of the city of baghdad by the author highlights the islamic empire’s scientific developments impressive architecture trade accomplishments evidence of slave labor