Ancient Middle East Vocabulary

Small fertile area of land in the middle of desert
Hosted towns/ cities including Mecca
Vital for survival of travelers b/c hot deserts

Oasis

Moved to Medina when 20 yrs old (622
Started Islam religion
Made religion spread throughout Arabian Peninsula
Most significant person in Islam
Died at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
Born in 570
Died at 62 (632)

Muhammad

Religion created by Muhammad
Originated in Mecca in ~630
Spread throughout Arabian Peninsula
Muslims are very accepting/loyal to religion

Islam / Muslim

Place of worship for Muslims
Enter doorway to wash face

hands & feet using an ablution fountain
Pray under portico while facing mihrab
Listen to message from pulpit

Words of god spoken to Muhammad
Traveled with Muslim armies
Considered honor to study & memorize the Qur'an

Qur'an

Words, sayings & deeds of Muhammad Traveled with Muslim armies

Hadith

Spread from Spain to India
Center changed between Damascus & Baghdad

Abbasid Empire

The hub of trade
Capital of Caliphate
Remarkable layout
Round city
Fell to Mongol in 1258

Baghdad

\= beautiful handwriting
Considered to be God's words to Muhammad

Calligraphy

Invented Algebra

Al Khwarizmi

Wrote the Canon of Medicine (a medical text used for 700 years) used by the entire world
Canon of Medicine first medical text
Cured diseases from head to toe
Used globally
Arabic scholar/mathematician

Avicenna

Caliphs paid people to travel world to find & retrieve texts During \~700s - \~1200s

Had to translate text Payment was gold based on weight

If book = 1lb payment = 1lb of gold

Translation Movement