The following is a passage from William Stearns Davis, ed., Readings in Ancient History: Illustrative Extracts from the Sources,
2 Vols. "Baghdad was a veritable City of Palaces, not made of stucco and mortar, but of marble. The buildings were usually of several stories. The palaces and mansions were lavishly gilded and decorated, and hung with beautiful tapestry and hangings of brocade or silk. The rooms were lightly and tastefully furnished with luxurious divans, costly tables, unique Chinese vases and gold and silver ornaments." --Medieval Sourcebook. Paul Halsall, Fordham University, 1998.
The depiction of the city of Baghdad by the author highlights the Islamic Empire’s
Scientific developments
Impressive architecture
Trade accomplishments
Evidence of slave labor
In the excerpt, the author highlights the trade accomplishments of the medieval Islamic caliphate by depicting its capital city: Baghdad. This city was one of the most important political, economic, and cultural centers in the Islamic world during the Middle Ages. It was a thriving city due to the fact that it worked as a remarkable node of trade networks that encompassed from Eastern Asia and the Middle East to North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. For this reason, the elites of Baghdad built beautiful palaces and mansions of marble, with Chinese vases and silk, gold and silver ornaments got from the Silk Road and from trade with distant markets.
