Book of Curiosities of the Sciences and Marvels for the Eye
Title: Kitāb Gharāʾib al-funūn wa-mulaḥ al-ʿuyūn, Book of Curiosities of the Sciences and Marvels for the Eye
Date: ca. 1190 - 1210
Medium: Ink on Paper
Credit Line: University of Oxford (Bodleian Library MS. Arab. c. 90)
Explanatory Description: The Book of Curiosities is a fascinating insight into medieval Islamic cartography. The item itself is two books, one on celestial exploration and one focusing on maps of the Mediterranean region. Though there is no named author, it still provides much information about the Islamic perspective of the world and the transformation of cartographical traditions over time. Mimetic representation of the world was not always the goal of Islamic mapmaking, and therefore the maps in the Book of Curiosities open the door to artistic interpretations of how the cartographer wanted to tell the story of the world. On a larger scale, these maps were often created to be easily reproduced and transmitted to rural communities. While the actual study of maps may not have been leisurely, there were many creative stories and inquiries about the world that arose from their transmission.