Depictions of Inhabitants From Sagsar Island in Ajā’ib al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharā’ib al-Mawjūdāt

Hayrunnisa Turan

Article Details

Depictions of Inhabitants From Sagsar Island in Ajā’ib al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharā’ib al-Mawjūdāt

Authors:

Hayrunnisa Turan

Publisher:

Sakarya University

Main Topics:

İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Sakarya Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.25 Issue 48, pp.485-511

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001305350

pISSN:

2146-9806

Keywords:

Abstract:

 In this study, depictions of two races, shaped as dog-headed people and soft-legged people, lived on Sagsar Island in some Arabic, Persian and Turkish copies of a cosmographic and geographic work Ajāib Al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharāib Al-Mawjūdāt by Qazwīnī d. 1283 from different periods in domestic and foreign libraries are researched. In this context, it is understood that the creature of mixed races from humans and animals was one of the most prevalent monster species in the literature of the Middle Ages. Especially among them, the dog-headed creature named Cynocep-halus is identified as one of the most extensively mentioned exotic human races. Discussions about this subject frequently by travelers like Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta in their travel books refer that odd creatures aroused how much interest colloquially. According to these travelers, the dog-headed people who lived on one of the islands of the Indian Ocean were wild, assailant, cannibal and naked creatures. In the second article of Ajāib Al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharāib Al-Mawjūdāt which includes four introductions, two articles and an epilogue, respectively, the sphere of fire, atmosphere, hydrosphere and the earth are presented with detailed informations about people living in various islands, sea animals, mountains, rivers, springs, wells, mines, stones, trees, plants, men and women, djinns and animals. Stories about two different races called the dog-headed people and the soft-legged people from Sagsar Island in the sea of Zanj, are mentioned in the sublunar sphere-themed second article of the work. Information and depictions about the people of the Sagsar Island are found in the Jazirah al-Sagsar section under the Bahr al-Zanj Sea of Zanj title in a great deal of copies of the work. But in some copies, there is information about these people living on two different islands named Sagsar and Duvalpa. Besides, the dog-headed people living in Crystal Kiosk, visited by Zulqarnain with his soldiers, are mentioned in the Jazirah al-Qasr Kiosk Island section under Bahr al-Hind Indian Sea title in the second article of the work. This story is also mentioned in some sections of Iskandarnāma by Ahmedī d. 1412-13 about Zukqarnains journey to Atwar Island and the Crystal Kiosk on another island and some depictions about them are included in this study for the purpose of comparison.

 In this study, depictions of two races, shaped as dog-headed people and soft-legged people, lived on Sagsar Island in some Arabic, Persian and Turkish copies of a cosmographic and geographic work Ajāib Al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharāib Al-Mawjūdāt by Qazwīnī d. 1283 from different periods in domestic and foreign libraries are researched. In this context, it is understood that the creature of mixed races from humans and animals was one of the most prevalent monster species in the literature of the Middle Ages. Especially among them, the dog-headed creature named Cynocep-halus is identified as one of the most extensively mentioned exotic human races. Discussions about this subject frequently by travelers like Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta in their travel books refer that odd creatures aroused how much interest colloquially. According to these travelers, the dog-headed people who lived on one of the islands of the Indian Ocean were wild, assailant, cannibal and naked creatures. In the second article of Ajāib Al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharāib Al-Mawjūdāt which includes four introductions, two articles and an epilogue, respectively, the sphere of fire, atmosphere, hydrosphere and the earth are presented with detailed informations about people living in various islands, sea animals, mountains, rivers, springs, wells, mines, stones, trees, plants, men and women, djinns and animals. Stories about two different races called the dog-headed people and the soft-legged people from Sagsar Island in the sea of Zanj, are mentioned in the sublunar sphere-themed second article of the work. Information and depictions about the people of the Sagsar Island are found in the Jazirah al-Sagsar section under the Bahr al-Zanj Sea of Zanj title in a great deal of copies of the work. But in some copies, there is information about these people living on two different islands named Sagsar and Duvalpa. Besides, the dog-headed people living in Crystal Kiosk, visited by Zulqarnain with his soldiers, are mentioned in the Jazirah al-Qasr Kiosk Island section under Bahr al-Hind Indian Sea title in the second article of the work. This story is also mentioned in some sections of Iskandarnāma by Ahmedī d. 1412-13 about Zukqarnains journey to Atwar Island and the Crystal Kiosk on another island and some depictions about them are included in this study for the purpose of comparison.

 In this study, depictions of two races, shaped as dog-headed people and soft-legged people, lived on Sagsar Island in some Arabic, Persian and Turkish copies of a cosmographic and geographic work Ajāib Al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharāib Al-Mawjūdāt by Qazwīnī d. 1283 from different periods in domestic and foreign libraries are researched. In this context, it is understood that the creature of mixed races from humans and animals was one of the most prevalent monster species in the literature of the Middle Ages. Especially among them, the dog-headed creature named Cynocep-halus is identified as one of the most extensively mentioned exotic human races. Discussions about this subject frequently by travelers like Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta in their travel books refer that odd creatures aroused how much interest colloquially. According to these travelers, the dog-headed people who lived on one of the islands of the Indian Ocean were wild, assailant, cannibal and naked creatures. In the second article of Ajāib Al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharāib Al-Mawjūdāt which includes four introductions, two articles and an epilogue, respectively, the sphere of fire, atmosphere, hydrosphere and the earth are presented with detailed informations about people living in various islands, sea animals, mountains, rivers, springs, wells, mines, stones, trees, plants, men and women, djinns and animals. Stories about two different races called the dog-headed people and the soft-legged people from Sagsar Island in the sea of Zanj, are mentioned in the sublunar sphere-themed second article of the work. Information and depictions about the people of the Sagsar Island are found in the Jazirah al-Sagsar section under the Bahr al-Zanj Sea of Zanj title in a great deal of copies of the work. But in some copies, there is information about these people living on two different islands named Sagsar and Duvalpa. Besides, the dog-headed people living in Crystal Kiosk, visited by Zulqarnain with his soldiers, are mentioned in the Jazirah al-Qasr Kiosk Island section under Bahr al-Hind Indian Sea title in the second article of the work. This story is also mentioned in some sections of Iskandarnāma by Ahmedī d. 1412-13 about Zukqarnains journey to Atwar Island and the Crystal Kiosk on another island and some depictions about them are included in this study for the purpose of comparison.

 Bu çalışmada Kazvinînin ö. 1283 kozmografya ve coğrafya konularında kaleme aldığı eseri Acâibül-Mahlûkât ve Ğarâibül-Mevcûdâtın yurtiçi ve yurtdışındaki çeşitli kütüphanelerde yer alan, farklı dönemlere ait bazı Arapça, Farsça ve Türkçe nüshalarındaki Segsar Adasında yaşayan iki kavmin tasvirleri incelenmektedir. Zenc Denizinde bulunan Segsar Adasındaki köpek başlı insan ve kayış ayaklı insan şeklinde bildirilmiş iki farklı kavme dair hikâyeler eserin Süfliyyât konulu ikinci makalesinde zikredilmektedir. Segsar Adasının bahsi geçen sakinleri hakkındaki malumata ve ilgili tasvirlere eserin pek çok nüshasında Bahr-i Zenc başlığı altındaki Cezire-i Segsar bölümünde rastlanmaktadır. Eserde ayrıca ikinci makalenin Bahr-i Hind başlığı altındaki Cezire-i Kasr bölümünde Zülkarneynin askerleriyle birlikte uğradığı Billur Köşkte yaşayan köpek başlı bir kavimden bahsedilmektedir. Ahmedînin ö. 1412-13 İskendernâme isimli eserindeki Zülkarneynin Etvar Adası ve bir başka adadaki Billur Köşk ziyaretleriyle ilgili bölümlerde de rast-lanan bu rivayetle ilgili tasvirler de mukayese amacıyla çalışmaya dâhil edilmiştir. Benzer şekilde İskendernâmede aktarılan Zülkarneynin Mazenderan seferinde karşılaştığı kement ayaklı devle ilgili rivayetin de muhtemelen Acâibül-Mahlûkâttaki kayış ayaklı kavme dair hikâyenin etkisiyle oluşturulduğu düşünüldüğünden, bu konuya ilişkin tasvirler de çalışmada yer almaktadır. Bu makale kapsamında incelenmiş 13. yüzyıldan 19. yüzyıla kadar farklı dönemlere ait ve dönemlerinin minyatür geleneğini yansıtan tüm tasvir örnekleri benzer ve farklı yönleriyle değerlendirmeye tabi tutulmaktadır.

Article Details

Depictions of Inhabitants From Sagsar Island in Ajā’ib al-Makhlūqāt wa Gharā’ib al-Mawjūdāt

Authors:

Hayrunnisa Turan

Publisher:

Sakarya University

Main Topics:

İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Sakarya Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.25 Issue 48, pp.485-511

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001305350

pISSN:

2146-9806

History of Art

Qazwīnī

Ajā’ib Al-Makhlūqāt

Sagsar Island

Dog-headed people

Soft-legged people.Sanat Tarihi

Kazvinî

Acâibü

Segsar Adası

Köpek başlı kavim

Kayış ayaklı kavim.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Hayrunnisa Turan

Publisher: Sakarya University

Main Topics: İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Journal: Sakarya Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.25 Issue 48, pp.485-511

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2023

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001305350

pISSN: 2146-9806

Issues

Authors:

Hayrunnisa Turan

Publisher:

Sakarya University

Main Topics:

İslam Araştırmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Sakarya Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.25 Issue 48, pp.485-511

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001305350

pISSN:

2146-9806