Aden gateway to East Africa. Left a drawing based on the map of Aden/Mombaza/Quiloa/Cefala by Braun and Hogenberg 1572.
Right a modern picture of the port of Aden
Back to Table of Contents (5)
To next page
Al-Malik al Ashraf Umar: al-Tabsirafi ilm al-nujum (Astronomical Treatise) (d.1296),
the Rasuli prince of Taizz
----------------------------------------------------------------
Al-Malik al-Ashraf ‘Umar ibn Yusuf, born 1242, Rasulid sultan of Yemen.He excelled in astronomy, agriculture, veterinary science and medicine. He wrote at least a dozen books: the earliest extant Rasulid agricultural almanac, written for AD 1271, which is contained within his astronomical treatise entitled Kitab al-tabṣira fī‘ilm al-nujum. Arranged according to the solar Christian Byzantine calendar, it includes astronomical data, local weather, sailing seasons, and information on crops. The material on East Africa found in his books are small anecdotes; showing who mostly Mogadishu fitted into the trade network of Yemen.
Taken from: Daniel Martin Varisco Medieval Agriculture and Islamic Science
Chapter 32
(This chapter is an Almanac)
Tishrin al-Awwal (October) or Dhu Sirab
……..
12. Planting of clover in Egypt. Availability of parched grain from shabb (sorghum)
13. At the break of dawn Spica is visible on the eastern horizon.
This is the day of the arrival of the Mogadishu ships in Aden at 280 (days) after the nayruz (3).
14. Evening rising of the pleiades. The southern azyab wind blows. Planting of the narcissus bulb.
………..
Tishrin al-Thani (November), or Dhu Muhla
……….
19. The sea is locked up and no ship sails on it.
20. Arrival of the Dhofar (1) boats at Aden.
21. End of the sailing of Egyptian Karim (2) (merchant ships) as the saih (sailing) from Aden. This is 320 (days) after the nayruz (3)
22.Sailing of the Mogadishu (ships) from Aden at 320 days after the nayruz. (3)
23. Cultivation (matnam) of red (sorghum), which follows the kharaji (sorghum), in the coastal region.
Availability of hyacinth bean in the coastal foothills.
……
Kanun al-Awwal (December), or Dhu al-Al
………
15. Trees are bare of leaves. Evening rising of sirius, which the farmers call alib.
16. First crushing of sugarcane. Availability of the honeycomb from christ’s-thorn (dal) and collection of this honey in the mountains.
The humor of phlegm is active. Sailing of the Mogadishu (ships) from Aden.
17. Planting of qiyad (wheat and barley) in the mountains.
………
Haziran (June) or Dhu Qayd
3. As dawn breaks, the faint southern star of sa’d al-su’ud is at midheaven.
4. Sailing of the Mogadishu (ships) from Aden.
5. End of the arrival of the tirmah (sailing) of Indian (ships) to Aden as last of the season at 150 (days) after the nayruz. (3)
End of the sailing by Qaysi (4), Hurmuzi (5), and Qalhati (6) (ships) from Aden. First sailing of the Mogadishu (ships) from Aden.
6. First sailing of the Mogadishu (ships) from Aden.
7. Sexual activity is stimulated.
8. The Nile of Egypt becomes full of sediments. Last of the khamsin winds (7).
(1) Dhofar: province in Oman.
(2) Egyptian Karim: it was in the period of the Mamluks when they developed commercially under the Mamluk sultans of Egypt. Karimi merchants grew rich in the 13th and 14th centuries and spread their commercial activities from the Middle East to Far East countries like India, China and Western Europe.
(3) Nayruz; Nawruz; Nouruz: is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year.
(4) Qaysi: Qish: Kish island is located in the Persian Gulf, 19 km from mainland Iran, and has an area of approximately 91 km2. It was very important in early Abbasid times.
(5) Hurmuzi: Hormuz is a city on the island of Hormuz off the coast of Iran; important in former times as trade center.
(6) Qalhati: The ancient port-city of Qalhat in northeastern Oman.
(7) khamsin winds: hot, dry, dusty wind in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that blows from the south or southeast in late winter and early spring.