Mission to the Volga / by Aḥmad ibn Faḍlān ; translated by James E. Montgomery ; foreword by Tim Severin ; volume editor, Shawkat M. Toorawa.
"Mission to the Volaga is the oldest surviving instance of sustained first-person travel narrative in Arabic--a pioneering text of peerless historical and literary value ... In this colorful documentary from the tenth century, the enigmatic Ibn Fadlan relates his experiences as part of an embas...
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| Other Authors: | , , |
| Other title: | Kitāb ilá malik al-Ṣaqālibah. English |
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English Arabic |
| Published: |
New York :
New York University Press,
[2017]
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| Series: | Library of Arabic literature.
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| Subjects: |
| Summary: | "Mission to the Volaga is the oldest surviving instance of sustained first-person travel narrative in Arabic--a pioneering text of peerless historical and literary value ... In this colorful documentary from the tenth century, the enigmatic Ibn Fadlan relates his experiences as part of an embassy sent by Caliph al-Muqtadir to deliver political and religious instruction to the recently-converted King of the Bulghars. During eleven months of grueling travel, Ibn Fadlan records the marvels he witnesses on his journey, including an aurora borealis and the white nights of the North. Crucially, he offers a description of the Viking Rus, including their customs, clothing, body painting, and a striking account of a ship funeral. Together, these anecdotes illuminate a vibrant world of diversity during the heyday of the Abbasid Empire, narrated with as much curiosity and zeal as they were perceived by its observant beholder."-- |
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| Item Description: | Translated from the Arabic. "A riveting travelogue from Baghdad to the Central Asian steppe"--Cover. |
| Physical Description: | xxxix, 138 pages : map ; 21 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 106-127) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781479899890 1479899895 9781479826698 1479826693 9781479829750 1479829757 |
| Language: | Translated from the Arabic. |