Delving into the art of Islamic cartography, this book highlights the contributions of Muslim map-makers from the ninth to the nineteenth centuries, showcasing their explorations across diverse regions. It emphasizes the innovative techniques of figures like al-Khwarazmi and al-Idrisi, who blended artistry with scientific knowledge. The maps produced were not only visually captivating but also politically significant, reflecting the rich cultural diversity of the Islamic world and the profound relationship between geography, art, and knowledge during this era.
Yossef Rapoport's work challenges the notion of Muslim women's legal inferiority by examining high divorce rates in medieval Islamic societies. He highlights how marriages in Cairo, Damascus, and Jerusalem differed from patriarchal ideals, showcasing women's economic independence and the normalization of divorce. This engaging social history intertwines personal narratives, appealing to scholars of women's and gender history in Islam.
About a millennium ago in Cairo, an unknown author completed a richly illustrated book that guided readers on a journey from the cosmos to Earth and its inhabitants. This treatise, known as The Book of Curiosities, remained unknown to modern scholars until a manuscript surfaced in 2000. The first general overview of this work, Lost Maps of the Caliphs, explores its unique insights into medieval Islamic thought. It begins with the remarkable discovery of the manuscript and its acquisition by the Bodleian Library, using The Book of Curiosities to reassess the development of astrology, geography, and cartography in early Islamic history. The authors evaluate the transmission of Late Antique geography to the Islamic world, revealing the logic behind abstract maritime diagrams and examining the palaces and walls in medieval Islamic town plans. Early astronomical maps illustrate the medieval understanding of the cosmos and the belief that celestial events influenced life on Earth. The book also reconsiders the history of global communication networks around the millennium, portraying the Fatimid Empire and Cairo as a maritime power with connections from the eastern Mediterranean to the Indus Valley and East Africa. Ultimately, this work highlights The Book of Curiosities as a significant achievement in medieval mapmaking and a vital contribution to the narrative of Islamic civilization, offering a unique perspective on the medieval
