As-Sayrafi

AS-SAYRAFI (about 916 A.D.)

Abū Zayd al-Haman as-Sayrāfī, author of "Silsilat at-tawārikh", the journal written by a merchant named Salayman (about 851 A.D.).

Brockelmann, S1, 405.

Ed.: Langlès, Relations des Voyages (Arabic), Paris 1811; M. Reinaud, Paris 1845, with a French translation; G. Ferrand, Voyage du marchand Sallaiman, Paris 1922.

T.: MC (Reinaud) A: 1

The territory of the Zanj covers a very wide area. All their crops, such as dhurra, which is their basic food, sugar cane and other trees, are black. Their kings fight against each other. (In the courts of) their kings (there are) some men called "mukhazzamūn" (those who have pierced nostrils). Their noses are pierced and they wear a ring in the holes; a chain is attached to the ring. Whenever there is a war, they go forward; then a man holds the end of each chain and pulls it to prevent any¬one (of the "mukhazzamūn") from going ahead. (Reinaud, pp. 131, 132).

In the (Indian) Sea there is an island called Suqūtrā, where the (tree of the) Suqūtrī myrrhe grows ... Most of the inhabitants of the island are Christians. (op.cit., p. 133).

The (Red) Sea ... touches the land of the Ḥabasha, whence the skins of the Barbarī leopards (an-numūr al-barbariyya) are exported... Then it touches Zayla', where the amber (al-‘ambar) and the tortoise-shells (dhabl) are found. (op.cit., p. 136; MC fol. 562 v).