This assignment requires you to practice analytical reading and historical writing. You will read and write about the texts of two Arab travelers to the Land of Darkness (the upper reaches of the Volga river) and assess the transformation that occurred in the region between 922 AD and 1161 AD. The big question of this assignment is as follows:
What changed in the region during those roughly two centuries, and how do you account for this change? You need to answer this question with a clearly stated thesis.
To get started, read the introduction and appendices 1, 2 and 4. You will need this background reading for context, and I expect you to include a few relevant quotations to illustrate points you are making. I also recommend that you take a close look at the various maps in the book. After reading the book of Ibn Fadlan and of Abu Hamid al-Andalusi al-Gharnati (pp. 1-92 in your book, write an essay addressing the following questions:
How do the authors perceive the people they encounter? What do their views reveal about the flourishing of Arab culture at the time?
What are their thoughts on the religion, politics, and warfare of the Rus and other people?
What do they observe about economic matters such as trade, agriculture, etc.?
How do they describe the relations between men and women, both among Muslims and other peoples? What do you conclude about the social status of women in the region and the travelers homeland at the time?
These questions provide the scaffolding to the issue at the core of this assignment.
Length: 4-5 pages, 12 font, double-spaced, regular margins