The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians, Volume 1

What it is

This is the first volume of an anthology published in 1867, edited from the papers of Sir H. M. Elliot by Professor John Dowson. It gathers translated excerpts from Muslim historians, including material from al-Biruni.

Why it matters

This collection shows how al-Biruni's writings on India became important sources for later historians trying to understand India's past through Muslim-era accounts. It highlights his role as both a scholar of his own time and a source used by scholars centuries later studying history and geography.

Look closer

• Why might 19th-century British scholars have been interested in translating medieval Muslim historians?
• What can we learn about al-Biruni from the fact that later historians relied on his writings about India?
• What might be lost or changed when a text is translated and edited for a new audience?