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Primary sourceArtifact1029

Al-Biruni's World Map of the Distribution of Land and Sea

Al-Biruni · 1029

A south-oriented circular map by Al-Biruni showing his view of the continents surrounded by ocean.

This map represents Al-Biruni's own geographical thinking, part of his broader scientific writings.

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Circular hand-drawn map in Arabic script showing a ring-shaped ocean enclosing land masses, with the words Al-Muhit al-Shamali at the bottom and Janub at the top. Below the map is a block of Arabic handwritten text in several lines.
Al-Biruni's world map of the distribution of land and sea, 1029 (south at top).

About this source

What it is

This circular diagram, from the tradition of Al-Biruni's Kitab al-Tafhim, shows his conception of the inhabited world. It is oriented with south at the top and depicts the landmasses encircled by an ocean, labelled with Arabic terms including the northern sea and the word for south.

Why it matters

The map shows how Al-Biruni and scholars of his time visualised geography, combining observation and theory about the shape of the Earth's landmasses and seas. Such diagrams were important tools for teaching astronomy and geography together.

Look closer

  • Why might this map be oriented with south at the top instead of north?
  • What does the ring-shaped ocean suggest about how the world's geography was understood at the time?
  • What parts of the world might be missing or inaccurate compared to maps today?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Al-Biruni on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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