Maps, Our Place in the World: Muhammad al-Idrisi's world map

The video explores the work of Muhammad Al Idrisi, a 12th-century Islamic cartographer, who created the Book of Roger for the Norman King Roger II of Sicily. This work, featuring 70 sectional maps, highlights the fusion of Greek, Latin, and Arabic traditions. The maps are oriented with the South at the top, reflecting Islamic traditions. The video discusses the political and cultural implications of map-making, emphasizing how maps reflect the subjective worldviews of their creators. It also touches on the ambitions of Roger II and the use of maps in statecraft.

What misconception about the Islamic world is addressed in the introduction?

• That it was isolated from the Mediterranean

• That it only influenced the Greek world

• That it was the center of the Renaissance

• That it had no connection to Western developments

Who commissioned Muhammad Al Idrisi to create his famous maps?

• A Sultan from Andalusia

• A Byzantine Emperor

• Roger II of Sicily

• The Pope

What is a unique feature of Idrisi's maps?

• They are oriented with the North at the top

• They exclude the Mediterranean region

• They are written in Latin

• They are oriented with the South at the top

What cultural traditions are fused in Idrisi's maps?

• Roman, Egyptian, and Persian

• Greek, Latin, and Arabic

• Chinese, Indian, and Arabic

• Byzantine, Roman, and Greek

How do maps reflect the worldview of their creators?

• By centering the map around the creator's region

• By depicting political boundaries

• By using a universal scale

• By showing only geographical features

What does the orientation of a map often indicate?

• The economic status of a country

• The cultural perspective of the mapmaker

• The political power of a region

• The technological advancement of a culture

What does the example of the map in a Canadian bedroom illustrate?

• The influence of European cartography

• The importance of accurate geography

• The subjective nature of map orientation

• The dominance of North America in world maps