From Al-Andalus to Khurasan: Documents from the Medieval Muslim World * Edited by PETRA M. SIJPESTEIJN, LENNART SUNDELIN, SOFIA TORALLAS TOVAR, AMALIA ZOMENO
L. P. Harvey
We are told that ‘The articles in this volume based on papers given at the Second International Society for Arabic Papyrology (ISAP) conference’ held Granada 2004, ‘born of happy intersection ISAP's aims with those Granadan document project’. The documents studied thus fall into two quite distinct chronological and geographical groups. open four Nasrid (pp. 3–80), then loop back time eastwards, to one paper Norman Sicily 81–100), six early Islamic Egypt 101–200, strictly papyrological heart volume), ʿAbbasid Khurasan 201–18) finally (or perhaps I should say, initially): ‘Epigraphy emergence Arab Identity’ by Robert G. Hoyland 219–42), taking us even earlier, a period least centuries before coming Islam, whole sweep being completed welcome general index 243–52). Introduction xvii–xxviii) Eduardo Manzano is much more than an attempt merely hold together apparently disparate contributions. If quote only few phrases what he says, because can hardly reproduce his thought-provoking study here. grapples fundamental problem why so have come down from societies: ‘Why it we comparatively fewer Umayyad Syria from, Merovingian or Carolingian France?’ He rejects explanations ‘the persistence ancient tribal’ conflicts prevalence culture orality’ ‘conscious neglect useless instruments’. ‘Written records disappeared en masse they could not find their way appropriate repositories: institutions vested interest preserving memory enclosed them.’ And yoking late material other earlier texts justified: case Al-Andalus extremely significant. [early] documentary record western society practically non-existent: simply lack Umayyad, Taifa, Almoravid Almohad documents, sharp contrast evidence northern Christian kingdoms … thousands written deeds ninth century onwards.’ ‘Were Andalusians less familiar neighbours? It hard believe so.’ However, do period, ‘When kingdom was conquered new lords became very interested number issues like certain rights property, allocations water resources land-divisions’ preserved relevant own archives. now begin e.g. awqāf (aḥbās=habices) territory, survives ecclesiastical (Metcalfe shows something similar happening Sicily.) As points out: ‘Social history badly needs documents. Narratives swamp historical chronicles best tools understand deep trends shape evolution societies.’ does any illusions about difficulty exploiting purposes incomplete sequences survived: ‘our isolated fragments whole’. But ‘This prevent historians using these as valid sources past.’ So gives follows:
Journal of Islamic Studies