Mission to the Volga - Paperback

Name: Mission to the Volga - Paperback
Brand: BooksCloud
SKU: 9781479899890
Price: 17.00 USD
Availability: InStock

by Aḥmad Ibn Faḍlān

$17.00

Book Overview

The earliest surviving instance of sustained first-person travel narrative in Arabic

Mission to the Volga is a pioneering text of peerless historical and literary value. In its pages, we move north on a diplomatic mission from Baghdad to the upper reaches of the Volga River in what is now central Russia.

In this colorful documentary from the tenth century, the enigmatic Ibn Fadlan relates his experiences as part of an embassy sent by Caliph al-Muqtadir to deliver political and religious instruction to the recently-converted King of the Bulghars. During eleven months of grueling travel, Ibn Fadlan records the marvels he witnesses on his journey, including an aurora borealis and the white nights of the North. Crucially, he offers a description of the Viking Rus, including their customs, clothing, body painting, and a striking account of a ship funeral. Together, these anecdotes illuminate a vibrant world of diversity during the heyday of the Abbasid Empire, narrated with as much curiosity and zeal as they were perceived by its observant beholder.

An English-only edition.

ISBN	9781479899890
Author	Aḥmad Ibn Faḍlān
Publisher	New York University Press
Genre	History, Literature, and Travel
Format	Paperback
Published	April 2017
Language	ENG- English
Pages	108
Weight	1.0 lb
Target Audience	Adults
Print Size	Standard Print