Al-Maqrizi

Glossaries

Term	Definition
Al-Maqrizi	Al-Maqrizi, an Arab historian from the 14th and 15th centuries, is renowned for his detailed accounts of Egyptian history, including anecdotes about the Sphinx of Giza. Al-Maqrizi (1364–1442), whose full name was Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Ali al-Maqrizi, was an Egyptian historian renowned for his works on the social, political, and cultural history of medieval Egypt. His most notable work, Al-Khitat, is a topographical and historical description of Cairo and its surroundings. In his writings, Al-Maqrizi recounts that in the 14th century, a Sufi named Mohammed Sa’im al-Dahr allegedly mutilated the face of the Sphinx by removing its nose. This act was reportedly motivated by religious beliefs, as local farmers were said to venerate the Sphinx in hopes of ensuring bountiful harvests. This account remains one of the few historical records explicitly mentioning the event, although other theories exist regarding the Sphinx's damaged nose. Al-Maqrizi’s works are critical for understanding medieval Egypt, providing a valuable perspective on the intersection of heritage, culture, and religion.

Term

Definition

Al-Maqrizi, an Arab historian from the 14th and 15th centuries, is renowned for his detailed accounts of Egyptian history, including anecdotes about the Sphinx of Giza.

Al-Maqrizi (1364–1442), whose full name was Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Ali al-Maqrizi, was an Egyptian historian renowned for his works on the social, political, and cultural history of medieval Egypt. His most notable work, Al-Khitat, is a topographical and historical description of Cairo and its surroundings.

In his writings, Al-Maqrizi recounts that in the 14th century, a Sufi named Mohammed Sa’im al-Dahr allegedly mutilated the face of the Sphinx by removing its nose. This act was reportedly motivated by religious beliefs, as local farmers were said to venerate the Sphinx in hopes of ensuring bountiful harvests. This account remains one of the few historical records explicitly mentioning the event, although other theories exist regarding the Sphinx's damaged nose.

Al-Maqrizi’s works are critical for understanding medieval Egypt, providing a valuable perspective on the intersection of heritage, culture, and religion.