Rappresentazioni geocartografiche di Paesi Islamici, a cura di, Recco (Ge), Le Mani Università, 2008.

Geocartographical representations of Islamic countries One important factor in the rapid spread of Islam was its geographical raising at the hub of a series of numerous trade routes, including caravan trails leading from the Middle East through Central Asia to North China, and across the Sahara to the Sudan, South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and America. This book looks at the relationships between geocartographical representations and Muslim religion. Even prior to Islamic presence, the city of Mecca served as a centre of trade in Arabia and Muhammad was a merchant. Islamic civilisation grew and expanded on the basis of this economy, in contrast of the Christian, Indian and Chinese ones. During the Islamic Golden Age (c. 750 CE – 1.258 CE) the Islamic cartography was patronized by the Abbassid Calips of Bagdad. During this period important studies of astronomy and medieval have been developed. Various Islamic scholars and voyagers contributed to its development and the most notable includes al-Idrisi, born in Ceuta, that lived in Sicily at the court of King Roger II. Later development took place under Turks, particularly with notable scholars as the cartographer Piri Reis. In recent years Islam has once again started to spread into Europe, caused by immigration of the dispossessed Muslim from North Africa (Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia), the East (Albania), Middle East (Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq) and Southern Asia (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia). This book is the culmination of a collective effort: Sergio Moscone writes on the Christians in the Muslim countries and Valentina Verda on the quality school in Senegal.