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Medieval Alexandria – Life in a Port City

Medieval Alexandria – Life in a Port City AbstractThe article presents an overview description of medieval Alexandria, based on the integration of archaeological finds, Muslim historiography, and medieval travelogues, with Geniza documents. It begins with a short outline of Alexandria's geographical location, then provides a depiction of its environs and its infrastructure, especially emphasising the water system and the port. The description then moves from the city's outer circle to its inner areas and discusses the various quarters and neighbourhoods, the commercial centres, and the industrial zones, finally focusing on the buildings, both public and private. It concludes with a short discussion of the way in which Alexandria was viewed by local Muslims and by European visitors. On the basis of this overall description, it is suggested that we should perceive medieval Alexandria in terms of a gateway city that underwent significant reorientation but succeeded in retaining its special status as such. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Al-Masaq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean Taylor & Francis

Medieval Alexandria – Life in a Port City

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Medieval Alexandria – Life in a Port City

Abstract

AbstractThe article presents an overview description of medieval Alexandria, based on the integration of archaeological finds, Muslim historiography, and medieval travelogues, with Geniza documents. It begins with a short outline of Alexandria's geographical location, then provides a depiction of its environs and its infrastructure, especially emphasising the water system and the port. The description then moves from the city's outer circle to its inner areas and discusses the...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2014 Society for the Medieval Mediterranean
ISSN
1473-348X
eISSN
0950-3110
DOI
10.1080/09503110.2014.877194
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractThe article presents an overview description of medieval Alexandria, based on the integration of archaeological finds, Muslim historiography, and medieval travelogues, with Geniza documents. It begins with a short outline of Alexandria's geographical location, then provides a depiction of its environs and its infrastructure, especially emphasising the water system and the port. The description then moves from the city's outer circle to its inner areas and discusses the various quarters and neighbourhoods, the commercial centres, and the industrial zones, finally focusing on the buildings, both public and private. It concludes with a short discussion of the way in which Alexandria was viewed by local Muslims and by European visitors. On the basis of this overall description, it is suggested that we should perceive medieval Alexandria in terms of a gateway city that underwent significant reorientation but succeeded in retaining its special status as such.

Journal

Al-Masaq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jan 2, 2014

Keywords: Local history / Eastern Mediterranean; Alexandria, El Iskanderîya, Egypt; Cairo, El Qâhira, Egypt – Genizah documents; Egypt – towns; Ports – in Egypt; Towns – in Egypt; Fātimid caliphate – trade; Ayyūbid sultanate – trade

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