NOTES Ments His Travels and Excursions Over a Period of Almost Thirty Years, Covering Some 73,000 Miles (117,000 Km)
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IBN BATTUTA Travel Project The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta is known as the greatest traveler of premodern times. He lived in the 8th century H/14th century CE. Leaving his homeland at the age of 21 to make the holy pilgrimage to Mecca, he performed a series of extraordinary journeys that spanned nearly three decades and took him as far away as India and China, but also to the Volga River valley and south to Tanzania. The narrative of his travels is a unique account on Islamic and medieval history that was placed by the historians within the rich, trans- hemispheric cultural setting of the history of the medieval world. Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier in 1304. His year of death is uncertain, possibly 1368-69. He was a Moroccan traveler, geographer, botanist and man of the law. At times he was a Qadi or judge; however, he is best known as a traveler and explorer, whose account docu- NOTES ments his travels and excursions over a period of almost thirty years, covering some 73,000 miles (117,000 km). The- se journeys covered almost the entirety of the known Islam- ic world, extending from present-day North and West Africa to Pakistan, India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and China, a distance readily surpassing that of his prede- cessor and near-contemporary Marco Polo. In 1325 he left his parental home for pilgrimage in Mecca. He narrated the beginning of his journeys as follows: "I left Tangiers, my birth place on Thursday 2 Rajab, 725 (H) with the intention of going on pilgrimage to Mecca. I was alone, without companions, not in a caravan, but I was stirred by a powerful urge to reach my goal (Mecca)… I left my friends and my home, just as a bird leaves its parental nest. My father and mother were still alive, and with great pain, I parted with them. For me as for them, it was cause of insufferable illness. I was then only twenty two [1]." Continue your research at http://www.muslimheritage.com/article/ibn-battuta IBN BATTUTA Travel Project Log onto the following for an interactive map: Timeline http://img.timeinc.net/time/2011/graphics/ 1325: In June 1325, at the age of twenty-one, Ibn journey/p/big.jpg Battuta set off from his hometown on a hajj, or pil- grimage, to Mecca, a journey that would take sixteen months. Create a series of postcards for a formal grade worth 100 points. 1326: On 17 November 1326, following a month spent in Mecca, Ibn Battuta joined a large caravan of pil- 1. Research the travels of Ibn Battuta and choose five destinations grims returning to Iraq across the Arabian Peninsula. in different part of the world he travelled. For example one in India, one in China, one in Europe and two in Africa. 1327: Ibn Battuta remained in Mecca for some time (the Rihla suggests about three years, from September 2. Write a postcard about his explorations and findings in each city. 1327 until autumn 1330). 3. Name one thing he learned in each destination. 1330: Ibn Battuta recorded his visit to the Kilwa Sul- 4. Include in each one person he met or one food he discovered tanate in 1330, and commented favorably on the hu- and explain. mility and religion of its ruler, Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, a descendant of the legendary Ali ibn al- 5. A picture or map on the front of each and a stamp on back each Hassan Shirazi. 6. Each postcard should include at least three paragraphs with the 1352: He set out again with a caravan in February above mentioned information included. 1352 and after 25 days arrived at the dry salt lake bed of Taghaza with its salt mines. Rubric: 1354: After returning home from his travels in 1354, and at the instigation of the Marinid ruler of Morocco, 20 points for each postcards Abu Inan Faris, Ibn Battuta dictated an account of his journeys to Ibn Juzayy, a scholar whom he had previ- The Breakdown of points: ously met in Granada. 3 points for appropriate picture or map 2 points for creativity 5 points for information in each paragraph For more information Watch the BBC Special: Ibn Battuta : The Man Who Walked Across the World For two bonus points you may write a movie review to be sent to me by email by December 1. .