John Lewis Burckhardt (1784-1817) was a Swiss explorer who is best remembered for his rediscovery of the ancient city of Petra in modern Jordan. In 1809 he was commissioned by the African Association to discover the source of the River Niger. In preparation for this journey, for which he needed to pass as a Muslim, Burckhardt spent two years exploring and studying Arabic and Islamic law in Aleppo, before travelling widely in Arabia and Egypt. These volumes, first published by the African Association in 1829, contain his account of the time he spent in Mecca and Medina: he was the first westerner to give an account of the Hajj pilgrimage. The work provides important and fascinating descriptions of the social, economic and political situation in Mecca and Medina during this period.
- ISBN13 9781108022873
- Publish Date 25 November 2010
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Cambridge University Press
- Pages 939
- Language English