A rare 700-year-old manuscript of Ibn Battuta’s renowned travel account Rihla has been sold for nearly AED 1 million at the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
The historic manuscript was presented at the fair by London-based rare book dealer Peter Harrington, attracting attention for its age and importance to the history of travel and literature.
The manuscript documents Ibn Battuta’s journeys across the Hejaz, the Gulf and other regions between 1325 and 1333. It contains early accounts of places including Oman, Sharjah, Bahrain and Qatif.
With only seven complete or incomplete copies of the Rihla known to exist worldwide, the manuscript is considered an exceptionally significant surviving record of Ibn Battuta’s travels and the regions he visited.
