Rare 1829 English Translation of Ibn Battuta's Travels Goes on Display

A rare 1829 edition of the first printed English translation of Ibn Battuta's travel accounts has gone on display at the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh.

Translated by British Orientalist Samuel Lee from an abridged manuscript held at Cambridge University, the 294-page volume includes historical and geographical commentary alongside references to classical Arabic texts. It is regarded as one of the earliest English editions of the renowned travelogue.

Ibn Battuta, the 14th-century Moroccan scholar, judge and explorer often referred to as the 'Prince of Muslim Travelers', travelled across territories spanning around 44 present-day countries between 1325 and 1354. He began his journey from Tangier at the age of 21 to perform the Hajj in Makkah, before continuing his travels across Africa, Asia and southern Europe over the following three decades.

After returning to Morocco in 1355, Sultan Abu Inan al-Marini commissioned the scholar Juzayy al-Kalbi to compile Ibn Battuta's accounts into the work known as 'The Rihla', the Arabic word for a journey or voyage. The travelogue has since been translated into numerous languages and is regarded as one of the most significant works of medieval travel literature.

The displayed volume forms part of the King Abdulaziz Public Library's collection of more than 8,000 rare manuscripts, which also includes works such as the 1,000-year-old 'Gharib Al-Qur'an', the 14th-century medical text 'The Anatomy of the Human Body', and early Arabic linguistic manuscripts by Ibn Jinni.