How the world was ‘mapped’ over centuries
3 hours ago
Muhammad Al-Idrisi map.
From maps produced for the kings of Spain and Portugal to a 12th-century world map oriented with south at the top and a life-size hand coloured photograph of a 15th-century map of the world, the ‘Tales from the East’ exhibition organised by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) at its headquarters in Sharjah, features a treasure trove of unique exhibits that shed light on the evolution of the science of cartography.
When renowned Muslim scholar and traveller Muhammad Al-Idrisi was commissioned by King Roger II, the greatest of the Norman kings of Sicily, to create a map for him of the entire known world, it led to the creation of the magnum opus called the Tabula Rogeriana. It depicted the world from Iceland to China and Africa, and a host of countries in between.