Arab Agricultural Revolution

Quick Facts: Who was Arab Agricultural Revolution?

Subject:

Arab Agricultural Revolution

Known for:

The transformation of agriculture in the Old World during the Islamic Golden Age (8th-13th centuries).

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Arab Agricultural Revolution was the transformation in agriculture in the Old World during the Islamic Golden Age (8th to 13th centuries). The agronomic literature of the time, with major books by Ibn Bassal and Ibn al-'Awwam, demonstrates the extensive diffusion of useful plants to medieval Spain (al-Andalus), and the growth in Islamic scientific knowledge of agriculture and horticulture. Medieval Arab historians and geographers described al-Andalus as a fertile and prosperous region with abundant water, full of fruit from trees such as the olive and pomegranate. Archaeological evidence demonstrates improvements in animal husbandry and in irrigation such as with the saqiyah waterwheel. These changes made agriculture far more productive, supporting population growth, urbanisation, and increased stratification of society.

Career & Major Achievements

The revolution was first described by the historian Antonio Garcia Maceira in 1876. The name was coined by the historian Andrew Murray Watson in an influential but at the time controversial 1974 paper. However, by 2014 it had proven useful to historians, and had been supported by findings in archaeology and archaeobotany. The first Arabic book on agronomy to reach al-Andalus, in the 10th century, was Ibn Wahshiyya's al-Filāḥa al-Nabaṭiyya (Nabatean Agriculture), from Iraq; it was followed by texts written in al-Andalus, such as the Mukhtasar kitab al-filaha (Abridged Book of Agriculture) by Al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis) from Cordoba, around 1000 AD. The eleventh-century agronomist Ibn Bassal of Toledo described 177 species in his Dīwān al-filāha (The Court of Agriculture).

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Ibn Bassal had travelled widely across the Islamic world, returning with a detailed knowledge of agronomy. His practical and systematic book both gives detailed descriptions of useful plants including leaf and root vegetables, herbs, spices and trees, and explains how to propagate and care for them. The twelfth-century agronomist Ibn al-'Awwam described in detail in his Kitāb al-Filāha (Treatise on Agriculture) how olive trees should be grown, grafted (with an account of his own experiments), treated for disease, and harvested, and gave similar detail for crops such as cotton. Medieval Islamic agronomists including Ibn Bassal and Ibn al-'Awwam described agricultural and horticultural techniques including how to propagate the olive and the date palm, crop rotation of flax with wheat or barley, and companion planting of grape and olive. These books demonstrate the importance of agriculture both as a traditional practice and as a scholarly science.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1000: 1000 Milestone — The first Arabic book on agronomy to reach al-Andalus, in the 10th century, was Ibn Wahshiyya's al-Filāḥa al-Nabaṭiyya (Nabatean Agriculture), from Iraq; it was followed by texts written in al-Andalus, such as the Mukhtasar kitab al-filaha (Abridged Book of Agriculture) by Al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis) from Cordoba, around 1000 AD.
2. 1876: 1876 Milestone — The revolution was first described by the historian Antonio Garcia Maceira in 1876.
3. 1974: 1974 Milestone — The name was coined by the historian Andrew Murray Watson in an influential but at the time controversial 1974 paper.
4. 2014: 2014 Milestone — However, by 2014 it had proven useful to historians, and had been supported by findings in archaeology and archaeobotany.

Notable Quotes by Arab Agricultural Revolution

“The name of our land in which we dwell ... al-Andalus ... the land is rich, abounding in rivers, springs, and aqueducts; a land of corn, oil, and wine...”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Arab Agricultural Revolution

True or False: “The Arab Agricultural Revolution was solely responsible for all agricultural advancements in medieval Spain.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While transformative, the evidence suggests that improvements were built upon existing practices and involved contributions from various groups over time.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Arab Agricultural Revolution