IMC 2008: Sessions

Session 1015: The Nile in Natural Philosophy and Geography

Sponsor:	Warburg Institute, University of London / Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha
Organiser:	Charles Burnett, Warburg Institute, University of London
Moderator/Chair:	Catarina Belo, Department of Philosophy, American University in Cairo
Paper 1015-a	The Nile in the Works of Arabic and Latin Philosophers (Language: English) Charles Burnett, Warburg Institute, University of London Index terms: Geography and Settlement Studies, Islamic and Arabic Studies, Philosophy
Paper 1015-b	Why the Nile Floods?: Bartholomew of Bruges' Commentary on the De inundatione Nili (Language: English) Pavel Blažek, Filosofický ústav, Akademie vĕd České Republiky, Praha Index terms: Geography and Settlement Studies, Philosophy
Paper 1015-c	Mapping the Nile, 1200-1400 (Language: English) Alessandro Scafi, Warburg Institute, University of London Index terms: Art History - General, Geography and Settlement Studies, Maritime and Naval Studies
Abstract	During the Middle Ages the Nile was an object of interest among natural philosophers and geographers alike. Whereas the former discussed its provenance and its unusual natural phenomena, such as its annual flooding, the latter tried to reconcile the geographical lore about the river with its traditional identification with the biblical Ghicon, one of the four rivers of paridise. The aim of this session will be to present the medieval philosophical reflection on the Nile and to put it in relation to its depictions in medieval maps.