Human embryology in Zakariya al-Qazwini’s The marvels of creation

Abstract

It was in the period from the 8th till the 10th century AD that Islamic culture had its golden age and that the arts and sciences flourished. After this period however it started to decline and decay set in. It is in that period that many compilations were written. They were called cosmographies and most of them were written in Arabic. This article deals with the best-known Cosmography, the Marvels of Creation of Zakariya al-Qazwini, and gives a translation of the chapters on human embryology.