TY  - BOOK
AU  - Ibn Fadlan,Ahmad
AU  - Montgomery,James E.
AU  - Toorawa,Shawkat M.
AU  - Severin,Timothy
TI  - Mission to the Volga
T2  - Library of Arabic Literature
SN  - 9781479899890
PY  - 2017///
CY  - New York
PB  - New York University Press
KW  - Ibn Fadlan, Ahmad,
KW  - Bulgars (Turkic people)
KW  - Russia (Federation)
KW  - Volga River Region
KW  - History
KW  - Volga River Region (Russia)
KW  - Tatarstan (Russia)
KW  - Description and travel
N1  - Includes bibliographical references and index
N2  - 'Mission to the Volaga is the oldest surviving instance of sustained first-person travel narrative in Arabic--a pioneering text of peerless historical and literary value ... 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.'--Provided by publisher
ER  -