Kitab al-Jarafiyya

§ 13
The south of the earth is a desert; no one inhabits it and nobody can penetrate it, except for those who live next to it, like the Abyssinians and the Nubians, who live on the equator -which is the central belt of the earth-. They can enter for only twenty parasangs (1) this desert and they cannot go further. Sometimes they come to the vicinity of the lakes where the Nile comes from, which receives water from Mount al-Qumur. These people enter the desert area to hunt the zumurruda.

§ 14
The zumurruda is a poisonous beast similar to an ape. There is no other on the earth more poisonous than it or that has a stronger poison. This is hot and dry and burns instantly. In this desert there are also tall and old trees, so that when a Nubian or Abyssinian wishes to procure that poison, they prepare a flask and a scraper made of stones found in the mountains called al-Arkadan (2), which surround the country of the Zandj. Then he goes into that desert, among the trees, until he sees one of those apes…………..

§ 16
…………… This allows that twenty parasangs (1) can be penetrated in this area, beyond which the atmosphere makes it impossible to continue advancing. They remain under the ground and no longer advance except if they are near the Nile, which leaves Mount al-Qumur. If it were not for that reason they could not penetrate this land area. We have already explained the cause of this desert in half of the earth and several wonders that it contains. We will now talk about the mountain that is in this area, called mount al-Qumur.

Mount al-Qumur
§ 17
It is given this name because it is colored according to the phases of the moon: thus, from the first night of the new moon its color is white and its whiteness increases in intensity on the second night; In the third, a yellowish color is reflected in it and an intense light envelops it, similar to the sun's rays. On the fourth night its luminosity increases and becomes reddish reflections, similar to those of fire. On the sixth and seventh nights it turns green and is covered with light. Its luminosity does not stop intensifying every time like a peacock. The power of its luminosity is so great that the Nubians and the Abyssinians can see it. From this mountain are born many rivers that drain into the lagoons that are in the middle of this desert and whose mention we have done previously.

The great and the small Nile
§ 18
From this mountain comes the great Nile. It descends towards the equator and enters the mountains known as the Gold Mountains and then flows through Abyssinia, the north, Gao (3) (Kawkaw), Aswan (4), Qus (5), Ajmim (6), Egypt, Alexandria, Damietta and Tanis (7). It reaches its mouth divided into three sections: those of Tanis, Damieta and the third, that of Alexandria, which only forms when its flood occurs. The length of the large Nile from its source in the mountain of al-Qumur to the Mediterranean is 1045 parasangas (1). But God knows best. Al-Masoudi (19) in his Muruy al-Dahab wa ma adin al-Yawhar and in the Kitab Unwan al-maoarifo already mentions this mountain, the various colorations that it presents and how the Nile is born in it. Those who wish to read it can consult it, if they wish, in the great manuscript of Muruy al-Dahab.

§ 19
Also leaves from this mount the small Nile that, crossing the Equator, penetrates in the Mounts of Gold, also called of Tuta (20). Then it extends through Nubia, towards the mountains of al-Ardakan (21) and through the country of the Zandj and empties into the Atlantic Ocean (al-bahr al-Muhit al-A'zam), in the dusty land of the west (9).
This mountain is located to the west of that desert zone, from that zone the wind al-Suwayda (8), blows dry and hot, which drains the waters of the streams, and produces the death of everything that it finds- May God protect us from it.

The northern part and the seven climes
§ 21
Those who have knowledge about the dimensions of the earth disagree in their opinions on the delimitation of the seven climates of the earth. Among them there are those who maintain that the climates are the -ayza- (22) of the earth. The climate is then placed first in the centre of the habitations, that is, in Yemen, Mecca, Ta’if, the Red Sea (al-bahr al-Qulzum), Egypt and its regions. The second climate is China, India and the Sind. The third Persia, Iraq and its regions.
The fourth Falastin, the country of the Turks, Gog and Magog and the country of the Slavs.
The fifth is made up of Syria, the countries of the Rum and al-Andalus.
The sixth Ifriqiya, the Maghreb, the country of Sus and its regions.
The seventh the Sahara, Guinea, Abyssinia, Nubia and the country of the Zandjs.
The first climate - which constitutes the centre of the habitation - divides the others in half, so that the other six climates are distributed around it.

§ 80
........................... So nobody knows what is inside this castle (in Egypt) and everyone who exposes his life to discover it perishes in the adventure.
The ancient philosophers believe that within it there are stones (10), known by the name of beryl (baht) that have the property of attracting men from a great distance. They also believe that these stones (10) were brought by Alexander the Great from the country of the Zandj, we'll talk about them again, God willing, in the right place. This castle and that well constitute the most extraordinary phenomenon in the world, which is why God made them proverbial in his Honourable Book when talking about the abandoned well and the elevated castle.

The Nile
§ 84
Among the wonders of Egypt highlights the Nile which is a large river. It is born in the mount al-Qumur, located in Equator, as we have said.
One of its wonders is the fact that unlike all the rivers of ecumene, which run from east to west and vice versa, or from north to south, the Nile of Egypt does it from south to north; it crosses the Equator, which is the belt of the earth, and goes through the desert country, to Abyssinia, to Kaw Kaw (3), to the city of Aswan and to the land of Egypt until it empties into the Mediterranean near Tanis, Damietta and Alexandria.
Another of the wonders of this Nile is that when the other rivers of the earth dry up, its flow increases and the water overflows until its channel reaches a width of twenty miles or so, depending on whether the surrounding lands are low or high.

§ 161
................Cham, son of Noah - on him the peace - he went to the West, to the country of the blacks (Sudan) and begot four peoples: the Nubians (Nuba), the Abyssinians (Habasa), the Blacks ( zandj) and those of Guinea (Djanawa)(16).

§ 239
...... al-Masoudi (19) mentions in the Kitab al-Tanbih wa-l-israf, the news that comes to his knowledge about the construction of this lighthouse, which is the work of a giant who built seven other idols in the country of the Franks (bilad al-Ifrany) and he believes (al-Mas'udi) that they look like the same type as the others, and says: If what he told me about the idol of Cadiz (22) is true, it turned out to be built to indicate the route in the sea. He had his hand to the left towards the strait as if to say: the route starts here.
Note: in several manuscripts the bilad al-Ifrany is replaced by bilad al Zandj.

§ 318 – 331 (first part of 7th clime)
§ 318
The seventh part of the globe
Which is the country of Sudan and the land of Abyssinia and Zandj and Nuba:
Know - God guided us and you - that this is the beginning of Part VII the dark sea of the west and in the east the sea of Al-Qulzum (11) and the coast. Alone in the south is a line of mountains of gold called the mountains of Tuta (20) (Nuba), Alone in the south is al-Madab (12), the city of Thul, and in its plain, the city of Al-Madaen, and in the east it is the city of Al-Fullan (13). And one enters this country and come out to bring from the desert slaves and servants.

§ 319
The first part: Al Nouba-AlNuna
Nubia and Zandj and the land of Ardakan (21) and between the countries of Nubia and the Zandj and the mountains of Ardakan and between these mountains and Nubia.

§ 320
In the land of Nubia is the Madaen city of Marwa (Meru), the house of their king. It is the first town to receive the water of the Nile coming from Djabal al-Qumar and between the mountains of al-Adakan to flow then to the country of the Zandj and the big sea.

The mountains of Arkadan (2)
§ 322
The country of Nubia is between the bilad al Zandj and the mountains of Arkadan. And in it is the stone from which the bottles in which the poison of the monkey is gathered is made. And between these mountains and the country of Nubia are the idols mentioned by the Al-Masudi in his book and the fact that it is the structure of the mighty King and stated that they view each other and that the whole is blasphemy, which was mentioned when talking about Cadiz (22). The teacher said: I have seen this sea and its bays, and what we have seen in it is bad and we have not heard and did not see them or in talking about what Masudi mentioned, except for the fact of the lighthouse of Cadiz as mentioned.

§323
It is said that the stones (10) were brought to him, and this was by Alexander the son of Philippus, known as the stones al bath (10), it is a stone that if a person looked at it he was not able to speak as attracted to it with great force, it was brought back by Alexander after consulting Aristotle (22), it was said that he built-up the palace that had been built there…………………

§324
……….and gold dust is found as grains smaller and bigger. And well as with the Zandj in their own country. And from this country the gold dust is brought to the countries of the maghreb and the Indies and the Romans.

§ 325
The Zanj are a people who live beyond the mountains of al-Ardakan (21) on the Nile which enters their country. One of the marvels of this people is that no one sees them without becoming blind on the spot. They themselves see nobody except of their own kind without his turning also blind.

§ 326 (14)
Sometimes the Nuba and the Habasha come to them with articles of trade from their own countries, such as salt, which is the most precious thing brought to them. Each one of them places merchandise on the bank of the Nile, then goes away. The Zanj then bring the gold and place it in a pile in front of each parcel of merchandise. Then the Nuba and the Habasha come, and if they are pleased with that they take it, but if they are not pleased they carry away their wares to another place so that they may be offered a better price. Thus they trade with each other without either party seeing the other.

§327
As well as the wonders of the Sudan that they the Al-Soudan they have the best shape and sleep, it is goodness, beauty and the best smell, in general their noses are well cut. And their women have qualities uncommon among (the descendants) of Adam.

§ 328
Zarafa (= giraffe) Has a long neck like a spear, head and horns of a ghazal, handsome chest, long front legs, short hind legs; tail like a camel; patches of color; ears of a ma-az; little fierce; they say it is the result of the crossing of two animal.

§ 331
As for the Sudan who are beyond the Nile to the east, they are the Habasha, and those who are to the west are the Nuba, the Zanj and the Janawa (16) (and beyond the Zanj are the tribe of the Sudan called Zaghawa) (25)

§ 332 - 335 (Second part of 7th clime)
Being Habacha and the big Nile

§ 335
In this zone in the furthest part of the inhabited part of the world there is the town of Dundjula (Dunkula)(26). It is the residence of the king of the Habasha, this according to the information from Ibn al-Djazzar in his book Adja’ib al Buldan (15). In its neighborhood, there is the town of Wasdita. The people of this town collect gold as do the ones of Nuba and the Zanj. From there is exported afluniyya (peony?) which is an excellent remedy to fight bad tempers (ilal balghamiya)
The people of this land reach out till behind the mountain chain of gold behind the equator, at 20 parasanges (1) in that solitude and so they arrive into the neighborhood of the Mountains of the Moon. From there they could divert the Nile eastward until they reached the Sea of Yemen and the Indian Ocean (18). From this place, the gold was brought to Egypt and Yemen.

 
§ 336 - 342 (Third part of 7th clime)
With Ghana and sea of the west

§ 365
The boundary of its first section from the equator to the land of the Zanj to Janawa (16) is 80 days, that is 800 farsakhs (17)

(1) Parasang: 1 parasangs or farsakhs = 2.8 nautical miles/ about 5km.

(2) al-Arkadan: literally mountains from behind.

(3) Gao (Kawkaw), is a city in Mali.

(4) Aswan: southern border town on the Nile in Egypt.

(5) Kus; Qus; Caus : mentioned as being south of Egypt (Ancient kingdom of Kush); A different Qus is a town in the central part of Egypt on the Nile.  Repeated by: al-Zayyat (1058); Al Zuhri : (1137); Nuwayri (1333); Ibn al-Dawadari (1335); Salamanca translator (1420).

(6) Ajmim: town in Egypt.

(7) Damietta and Tanis: towns in Egypt.

(8) al-Suwayda: Suwayda literally means palm trees.

(9) (the Nile that) empties into the Atlantic Ocean: This is the Niger; sometimes the Senegal river.

(10) Pieces of the story of the stones Baht or Bahit brought by Alexander from the country of the Zanj and found in the mountains of the moon called the magnet of men or who make people laugh till they die and which story comes originally from Aristotle can be found in: al Maqrizi (1441); Suyuti (1445-d1505); Qadi Ibn Sasri Al-Shafi’I (1300); Al Umari (1349); Al-Dimashqi (1325); Al Zuhri (1137); Salamanca translator (1420).

(11) Al-Qulzum: : located at the head of the Gulf of Suez.

(12) al-Madab: strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa.

(13) Thul, Al-Madaen , Al-Fullan: supposedly in the Nile valley. The Fulani tribe as still very well known.

(14) see note on silent trade. Those mentioning the silent trade in East Africa on my webpages: Hudud Al-'Alam (982); Al Zuhri : (1137); Mohammad ebn Mahmud ebn Ahmad Tusi (1160); Yakut (or Jakut) al Hamawi (1220); Al-Qazwini(d. 1283) Atar al Bilad; Rukneddin Ahmed (1420); Ibn Al Wardi (about 1456).

(15) Adja’ib al Buldan: The wonders of lands.

(16) Janawa; Janada: also Janawa and Janara was the name given to the country of the pagan tribes south of the Muslim lands in West Africa. (Guinea)

(17) farsakhs: 1 parasangs or farsakhs = 2.8 nautical miles/ about 5km.

(18) Nil of Maqdishu: Nile of Mogadishu: This is the Shabelle River begins in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Near Mogadishu, it turns sharply southwest, where it follows the coast. Below Mogadishu, the river becomes seasonal.

Al Zuhri : (1137) Makes the people divert themselves the Nile into a branch to the sea of Yemen; In Dimashqi (1325) it is called the river of Damadim; and he is the only one who kind of understands the river-system in South-Somalia. Salamanca translator (1420): calls it yellow Nile. Ibn Khaldun (1406) says it has nothing to do with the Nile. Nile of Mogadishu appears in Ibn Said al Maghribi (1250); Cowar el-aqalim (1347); Abulfida (1331); al Maqrizi (1441)he calls it River of the Damadim ; Hafiz I Abru (1420); Qoutb al-Din al-Chirazi (1311); Al Qalqashandi (d1418); Qadi Ibn Sasri Al-Shafi’I (1300) Cowar el-aqalim (1347).

(19) see my webpage Al-Masoudi (916)

(20) also mentioned by Ibn Said al Maghribi (1250)

(21) Ardakan: in Persian: Holy Place. Also mentioned by Ibn Said al Maghribi (1250)

(22) this different system to delineate the climates of Indian origin is also treated by Yaqut 1220 and Biruni 1050 among others.

(23) Cadiz is an ancient port city in the Andalucia region of southwestern Spain.

(24) Aristotle: was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece.

(25) Zaghawa: also called Beri or Zakhawa, are a Sahelian Muslim ethnic group primarily residing in Fezzan North-eastern Chad, and western Sudan, including Darfur.

(26) Dongola: Old Dongola is a deserted town in what is now Northern State, Sudan.