Early Writings. Early Arabic/Muslim writings, like those of the predecessor civilizations, tended to include many geographical myths and fantastic narratives or notions. One interesting conception, perhaps purely didactic in intent, was the idea that the known inhabited land mass resembled a great bird. The head was China, the right wing India, the left wing al-Khazar, the chest Syria, Iraq, and Arabia, and the tail North Africa. With vast lands stretched before them, Muslims wanted to learn about the unknown, a desire that led to the production of aja'ib literature, which recounted the wonders and strange creatures and plants of far-away lands. One such work is Kitab al-Ajnas ala Mithal al-Ghareeb (Book of Species Which Show Peculiar Characteristics) by Nadar ibn Shima'il (born 740). The great literateur al-Jahiz (died 868) wrote Kitab al-Amsar wa Aja'ib al-Buldan (Book of Cities and Marvels of Countries).

Practical Motives. At...