Science in al-Andalus

Andalusian astrolabe of Toledo of 1067.

Science in al-Andalus reached a high degree of perfection, superior to the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages. The flourishing of science and knowledge in Al-Andalus occurred first in the city of Córdoba, and later, in the period of the taifas, spread throughout all the territories of al-Andalus, especially the important cities (Zaragoza, Toledo, Seville, Granada, etc.), since the Andalusian civilization was based on the development and importance of cities, when in the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages most urban centers had low population density.

In the beginning, the scientific movement, written in Arabic in the Middle Ages, begins with the knowledge of the inherited legacy, on the one hand, of the classical culture of the Greeks, and on the other hand, the ideas coming from Asia (mainly from China). and India). During the caliphate they stood out mainly in the areas of astronomy and medicine, although to a lesser extent there were representatives in the pharmacopoeia, alchemy, agriculture, botany, (applied) mathematics, hydraulic engineering, etc.

Science Propagation

Thanks to the use of paper, which allowed cheap copies, in the Andalusian world there was a great abundance of books, it was not a luxury object, as it used to be in the rest of Europe, where not knowing paper and progress of ink and having animal skin, leather as a support to write, the book will have a very high price, accessible only to the wealthy classes.

This great abundance of books, and high literacy, if again compared to the rest of Europe, will lead to a large number of libraries. The best known, without a doubt, is the library of al-Hakam II in Córdoba (one of the 70 in the city) it contained 400,000 volumes, among which were both translations of Greek works, as well as medieval contributions to the development of science and culture (see: Medieval science).

Science

Astronomy

Andalusian astrolabe Toledo 1067.

In the science of al-Andalus, astronomy reaches a great advance, it is fundamentally focused on the elaboration of precise astronomical tables, geometric and trigonometric methods and the elaboration of measuring instruments: astrolabes, equatoria, azafeas, nocturnal lips, etc Some of the instruments, such as the astrolabes (which are a meridional stereographic projection of the celestial sphere on the plane of the equator) reach a high degree of refinement and detail with respect to those previously used and some pieces have reached our days in acceptable condition. of conservation. Among the instrument builders it is worth noting Ibrahim ibn Sahli who in 1067 made an astrolabe preserved today, Azarquiel, who lived in Toledo, builder and inventor of the astrolabe that could be used at any terrestrial latitude, the Azafea. It was Ermanno Contratto (1013-1054), a German mathematician familiar with the Arabic language, who wrote a treatise on the astrolabe around the year 1026 preserving some of the Arabic terminology, in this book De mensura astrolabii liber is a translation of the concepts that were used in Andalusian Spain.

Some of the Andalusian astronomers are: Ibn Aflah (died around 1150) a great scholar of Greek sages, his best-known work is the kitâb al-Hay'ah (Book of Astronomy); or Ibn Jalaf, who developed a type of astronomical projection (XI century).

One of the sciences related to astronomy that suffered from an advance in Al-Andalus was gnomonics, solar dials were made, in this medieval period they were all, or at least in their vast majority, flat, called al-basit ('flat surface'), built in marble (Ruchâmet), or in copper plates. Of time systems of temporary hours and with shadow indications towards Mecca (by means of the Qibla).

Medicine

The origins of Arabic medicine occur in the times of the Byzantium Empire when the Nestorian Christians were expelled and settled in Persia (AD 489) during the Sasanian Empire. They founded a medical school in the city of Gondishapur and since then they would become at the beginning of the VI century the great exchangers of medical knowledge between Greek and Eastern cultures, translating the main medical works of antiquity from Greek and Latin into Arabic. The united medicine of the pharmacopeia reached its maximum levels when Averroes was born in 1126 (he was born in Córdoba). It should be noted that some of the doctors were Christians and Jews with Arabic names, these doctors performed their duties in hospitals and together with the caliphs. In Andalusian medicine there was a concept to determine the level of experience in the execution of medical tasks: Hakim (in modern Arabic means wise man ) was the doctor who healed by similarity, the Tabib who used the opposites, the Mutatab who had the category of assistant to the Hakim and Tabib.

The first known physician of the Andalusian period was Harets, En-Nadr and Ibn abi Rabitha. One of the forerunners of surgery is Abul Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahrawi (known for short as Abulcasis) was born in 936 in Zahra in the vicinity of Córdoba, he was known for having made a medical encyclopedia called: Al-Tasrif (later translated by Gerardo de Cremona into Latin), the volume of surgery is especially detailed, it describes how to remove stones of the pancreas, ocular operations, of the digestive tract, etc. as well as the necessary surgical material. Other Andalusian doctors were: Arib Ibn Said who gave remedies to certain infectious diseases, Al-Gafiqi, Inn Jazla, Abu Al-Fila, Al-Baitar, Ibn Samajun, Maimonides (he lived and was born in Córdoba), Avenzoar, Abu Marwan ibn Zuhr (1091-1161).

It is worth noting the influence of Mesué Hunayn ibn Ishaq known for short by his Latin name as Johannitius or Mesué the Elder was a prominent translator of medical works in Persia due to his great ability or 'gift of languages', dedicated several ophthalmology studies that came into the hands of Andalusian doctors. Some of the Andalusian doctors were influenced by doctors from the Arab and Persian environment, such as Al-Razi or Avicenna.

Botany

Botany was closely linked with pharmacopoeia and medicine, it is for this reason that part of the doctors were at the same time experts in botanical aspects. It is worth noting in this field the naturalist Ibn al-Baitar considered the best botanist after Dioscorides. A team of Cordovan doctors led by the Byzantine monk Nicolás carried out a taxonomy of botanical species that would constitute a basis for the Andalusian pharmacological school.

Math

In the VIII century, the author Maslama from Madrid (full name Abu-l -Quasim Maslama ibn Ahmad al-Faradi al-Hasib el-Qurtubi al-Mairiti) among his most prominent students is Abu-l-Quasim Asbag. cylinder, Ibn Muad of Jaén who commented on works by Euclid. In the last years of the kingdom of Granada, the figure of Al-Qalasadi stands out. Ibn Tufayl tells us in his work Risala Hayy ibn Yaqzan (The Self-taught Philosopher) how "all the men of elevated spirit who have lived in al-Andalus, before the science of logic and philosophy, devoted their lives solely to the mathematical sciences, reaching a high degree in them". Therefore we see how in al-Andalus mathematics was worked on and developed first and then philosophy was developed. Much of the mathematical knowledge was applied to astronomy and astrology (raising zoodiacal houses for the powerful). Some mathematicians-astronomers like Djabir b. Aflah in the 12th century came to criticize the lack of mathematical rigor in Ptolemy's works.

Engineering

The architecture has a great visual appeal.

Statue of Abbás Ibn Firnás, scientist and Andalusian humanist during the Emirate of Córdoba. Ibn Firnás made in 875 a few wings of wood, silk and feathers of rapaces with which he jumped from a tower of Cordoba (now Spain) getting kept in the air for a few seconds. He is considered the first person to perform scientific attempts to fly.

Under this heading, mention should be made of Al-Karayi, a mathematician who developed various applications in the field of engineering. One of the most applied branches of engineering is architecture, which has its greatest exponent in the construction of mosques (all of them with their qibla, a magnificent example can be seen in the Mosque of Córdoba), the preferred materials were Arabic brick, marble, plaster for decorations, other typical constructions were fortifications (such as the Alhambra in Granada), large baths (called hammams), madrasas (educational schools), alcaicerías (also called qisarias) These were hermetic spaces located inside the souk where the most valuable merchandise was sold. The alhóndigas (also called funduq) that were pantries destined to store food products as well as to serve as temporary accommodation for merchants. The architecture supported various artistic currents: Taifal, Almoravid, Almohad, Nasrid, Mudejar.

History of Science

One of the signs of the great development that science acquired in al-Andalus is that they write about "History of Science", that is, they reflect on science, its evolution, its achievements, factors that allow its development, etc. Perhaps the best known author is Said Al Andalusi, born in Almería in 1029, and author of the work "Book of the Categories of Nations" (Akal publisher, 1999). In this work, the author states that nations can be divided into two categories, those that have been interested in science and those that have not. From the former come the ways of knowing and the different kinds of knowledge. Among the categories (nations, peoples) that were interested in science, he says: "it comprises eight peoples: the Indians, the Persians, the Chaldeans, the Greeks, the Romans, the people of Egypt, the Arabs and the Hebrews&# 3. 4;.

Thinkers and scientists

• Abdallah al-Bakri
• Ibn Walid - Diet-based physician
• Ibn al-Bagunis - Mathematics
• Azarquiel - astronomical instrument builder
• Ibn Jaldún
• Ibn Gabirol
• Abenalsid
• Abenalarif
• Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra
• Abbás Ibn Firnás - precursor of aeronautics

Novel

• "Azarquiel, the astronomer of Toledo", Mariano Calvo, 2002, ISBN: 84-95453-25-8. Novel set in the time that narrates the adventures of Azarquiel.