Arab wayfinding on land and at sea: An historical comparison of traditional navigation techniques.

摘要

This thesis investigates the historical significance of traditional Arab navigation technology (after the advent of Islam), drawing upon Arabic primary sources and other relevant literature. Modeling wayfinding as a geographical activity in which members of a culture use its technology to interact spatially with the physical environment, it systematically compares the techniques, tools and other features of Arab wayfinding in two environments, sea and land, forming a transportation network from Mecca in Arabia westward to Spain and eastward to China. It also considers Arab and neighboring cultures as innovators in navigation and geography, including the compilation of maps and text for Al-Idrisi's Book of Roger, which summarized Arab geographical knowledge for the European king, Roger II of Sicily, in 1154 A.D. It concludes by reflecting upon the diffusion and lingering significance of Arab learning in Mediterranean Europe and Africa, suggesting further research to bridge gaps in the historical record.