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Note on the Further Evolution of the more Correct Map.
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Al Umari included his map (derived from) Tabula Almamuniana map (of Caliph Al-Mamoun) (833) in his work: Kitab masalik al-absar by Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari (d. 1349 A.D.), MS 2797/1 Ahmet III Collection, Topkappi Sarayi Library, Istanbul. The manuscript is one of the author himself (Umari) and dates from about 1340AD. (Fig.6). I added a close copy (Fig.7). These maps are very special as they are the only maps showing Madagascar. In Caliph Al-Mamoun’s days the Madagascar colonisation efforts by Indonesian people was at its highest. See:
-A detailed description of Madagascar as it appears in Fig 6 and Fig 7 is given by Ibn Sa'id (1250).
Under the construction of a map (Fig 1) using the coordinates given by him.
His work (1250) is the first one to give a geography based on
this map (833); (The later Abulfeda also does). This late date puts in doubt the fact of the identification of the map as being the map of Caliph Al-Mamoun.
See also my webpage on Ibn Sa'id: -Ibn Said al Maghribi (1250)
Fig 1 Map from G.R. Tibbetts; A Study of the Arabic Texts containing Material on South-East Asia.
- The (original) map of Caliph Al-Mamoun influenced other maps: 2 maps out of manuscripts of the early 15th century: Nizam al-Din al-Nisapuri: Tawdih al-Tadhkira (Commentary on Astronomy) (Fig.8 – 9)
Most of the information brought by the Indonesians centuries earlier has disappeared. And about the two times appearing Horn of Africa in the map of Caliph Al-Mamoun; the first one has nearly disappeared while the second one remains but at very big distance south of Aden. In the small peninsula that remains is written: Bilad al Barbar wal Habasha =the Horn of Africa (Fig.2detail and Fig.3detail).
Just under: Fig.2detail(map of Umari showing the 2 Horns of Africa)
and Fig.3detail (Nizam al-Din al-Nisapuri) showing in the middle the 2 peninsula Ethiopia (left) and Arabia.
-Al Nawagi 1455 produced a simplified version of the map of Nizam al-Din al-Nisapuri (Fig.10-11)
-A 1331 manuscript of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274) of Al-Tadhkira (Fig.12) and a World map in the same style in Book on Created and Existing Beings in a manuscripts compiled for the Safavid Shahs Abbas II (ruled 1642-1666) and Sulayman (ruled 1666-1694) (Fig.13)
In these two very similar maps hardly anything is left of the first Horn of Africa. It only remains as a tiny gulf in the red sea. (Fig.4detail and Fig.5detail)
Fig.4detail and Fig.5detail
-There is also a very similar in shape map from Europe: Fra Mauro (1459). However the Horn of Africa is here really a Horn and not a gulf. (Fig.14) In the last years before the Portuguese reached India several Africa maps of this type appeared in Europe. Given: Florence manuscript of Martellus’s Insularium from 1491 (Fig 14a)
-In some later copies of Qazwini’s work maps appear that resemble, but simplified, the once in fig. 8-9 (Fig. 15-16-17-17a)
-Two authors who worked around 1420 and who lived close to China Hafiz I Abru (Herat) (Fig. 18-21) and Al Kashi (Samarkand) (Fig. 22) produced similar maps with Africa pointing south. Their maps compared with the giant Chinese maps carry only few names.
The Yuan
dynasty was also the time that Ibn Battuta and the Polo’s went to China and Wang Dayuan, a merchant, went up to East Africa and Yang Tingbi and Yiheimishi went as ambassadors to places in South
India after which Ma’bar twice send zebras as tribute to China.
Fig. 6-7: (derived from) Tabula Almamuniana (Caliph Al-Mamoun) (833)
Fig.8: A map of the world from Nazam al-Din al-Hussein bin Muhammad al-Nishapuri's Sharh al-Tadhkarah, an astronomical commentary originating from Anatolia or Iran. This copy is from the early fifteenth century.
Fig.9: a map from a different copy of this book: 822-828AH Add Ms 23397 British Library Oriental Manuscripts.
Fig. 10-11: Al Nawagi 1455 produced a simplified version of the map.
Fig.12: A 1331 manuscript of Nasir al-Din al-Tusi (1201-1274) of Al-Tadhkira. The drawing given is just the outlines of the map as Needham copied them.
Fig.13: From: Book on Created and Existing Beings in a manuscripts compiled for the Safavid Shahs Abbas II (ruled 1642-1666) and Sulayman (ruled 1666-1694).
Fig.14: Fra Mauro (1459) (Mappamundi)
Fig 14a: Florence manuscript of Martellus’s Insularium (1491)
Fig. 15-16-17-17a: Later copies found in al Qazwini’s work.
Fig. 18; 19; 20; 21: Hafiz I Abru (1420) (South on top).
Fig. 22: Al Kashi (1420) (South on top)
