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Lost Maps of the Caliphs

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Lost Maps of the Caliphs explores the astonishing history of Islamic cartography during the medieval Arab world. This comprehensive study unveils the intricate details and advancements in map-making at the time, reflecting a vibrant era of scientific and cultural achievement. Readers will discover how these historical maps influenced both the Islamic world and beyond, offering a visually compelling journey into the past without revealing critical turns in the narrative.
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Format: Hardback
$14000
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by the history of the Islamic world and the evolution of medieval cartography. With scholarly insights, it delves into the rich history and intricacies of map-making during the Islamic Golden Age, offering a unique perspective on how geography, culture, and politics intertwined during that era.

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Lost Maps of the Caliphs provides the first general overview of The Book of Curiosities and the unique insight it offers into medieval Islamic thought.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

About a millennium ago, in Cairo, someone completed a large and richly illustrated book. In the course of thirty-five chapters, our unknown author guided the reader on a journey from the outermost cosmos and planets to Earth and its lands, islands, features and inhabitants. This treatise, known as The Book of Curiosities, was unknown to modern scholars until a remarkable manuscript copy surfaced in 2000.

Lost Maps of the Caliphs provides the first general overview of The Book of Curiosities and the unique insight it offers into medieval Islamic thought. Opening with an account of the remarkable discovery of the manuscript and its purchase by the Bodleian Library, the authors use The Book of Curiosities to re-evaluate the development of astrology, geography and cartography in the first four centuries of Islam.

Early astronomical 'maps' and drawings demonstrate the medieval understanding of the structure of the cosmos and illustrate the pervasive assumption that almost any visible celestial event had an effect upon life on Earth. Lost Maps of the Caliphs also reconsiders the history of global communication networks at the turn of the previous millennium.

Not only is The Book of Curiosities one of the greatest achievements of medieval map-making, it is also a remarkable contribution to the story of Islamic civilization.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The book is praised for offering a comprehensive overview of a significant work in medieval mapmaking and Islamic civilisation. It delves into the early Islamic understanding of the world, highlighting the genius of eleventh-century Fatimid Cairo. Scholars commend the book for its exemplary scholarship and clarity, greatly enhancing our understanding of the classical Arabic worldview with detailed documentation and a rich variety of sources.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781851244911

Publisher: Bodleian Library

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 February 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bodleian Library

Illustration: 25 Illustrations, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 774g

Pages: 368

About the Author

EMILIE SAVAGE-SMITH is Emeritus Professor of the History of Islamic Science at the University ofΒ Oxford.

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