Name of text and traveler: Ibn Battutah and The Travels of Ibn Battutah
List of locations: Alexandria, Cairo, Jerusalem, Damascus, Medina, Mecca, Messhed Ali (Najaf), Basra, Shiraz, Baghdad
- Location: Jerusalem
Where was the last place the traveler stopped? How far away is it?
Cairo- 264 miles
Describe the terrain.
The route that Ibn Battutah took from Cairo to Jerusalem seems to generally follow the coastline of the Mediterranean, but at a distance, which meant he was traveling mainly through deserts. As Ibn Battutah got closer to the Levant, the terrain becomes more mountainous and rockier which continues all the way into Jerusalem.
What modes of transportation are necessary? How many days would it take?
Ibn Battutah was either traveling by foot, horseback, or cart. He does not mention which of these, but a boat would not have been necessary. If everyone was on foot, it would have taken around 13 days. If everyone was on horseback, it would have taken around 9 days. If carts were used, it would have taken around 20 days.
- Location: Mecca
Where was the last place the traveler stopped? How far away is it?
Medina- 218 miles
Describe the terrain.
The terrain from Medina to Mecca is very rocky and mountainous. The overall elevation does not change significantly, but it is far from being flat. The climate is also desert, which meant water was harder to come by, especially because no major freshwater bodies are near the route.
What modes of transportation are necessary? How many days would it take?
Ibn Battutah most likely was on foot when traveling from Medina to Mecca because he was doing Hajj (pilgrimage). Hajj is required to be on foot travel. Because Ibn Battutah was on foot, traveling on rocky terrain, it would have taken him around 12 days.
- Location: Shiraz
Where was the last place the traveler stopped? How far away is it?
Basra- 295 miles
Describe the terrain.
The terrain from Basra starts out flat and sandy, but around 130 miles into the journey, the elevation begins to increase, and the terrain gets rocky. Until reaching Shiraz, where the land flattens out into a desert, the terrain is all mountainous and rocky, making it difficult to travel. Access to freshwater after leaving Basra would also have been an issue.
What modes of transportation are necessary? How many days would it take?
Ibn Battutah either traveled on foot, by horse, or by cart. If on foot, it would have taken around a month if they managed to go 10 miles a day. If on horseback, if would have taken around 20 days. If on carts, it would have taken around a month.
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