مناجم الزمرد في التراث العربي الإسلامي : نصوص مهملة في التدوين الحديث لتاريخ التعدين

Abstract EN

Many recent studies about mining history ignore the widespread use of mines in Islamic countries, some of those studies like Giuliani and Heuzé claim that the exploitation of emerald mines in Upper Egypt stopped in the Gaul-Roman period and before the Islamic era.

However, many Muslim authors, geographers, travelers, and historians (such as Al-Masudi, Al-Biruni, Al-Idrisi, Al-Zuhri and Al-Maqrizi) have agreed on the presence of emerald especially in Upper Egypt and in some Indo-Iranian regions.

They also emphasized the exploitation of these mines during the Islamic period.

The heritage texts that has reached us, in addition to historical data, include very important statements related to the localisation of emerald mines, the organizing of work and economic management during the mining process, how to treat this precious metal, the rocks incubating it, and the indications identifying reaching the deposits.

All of this implies the high experience of the prospectors and miners in emerald mining and the jewelers in processing it during the Islamic period.