al-Maqdisi

al-Maqdisi was perhaps the best representative of Arabic geography in the second half of the 10th century CE (A. Miquel in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 7, 1991:492-493). Little is known about his life. He was born in Jerusalem in c. 946 CE, traveled extensively, and died perhaps around 990 CE (A. Miquel in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 7, 1991:492-493). He wrote Description of Syria including Palestine in Arabic in c. 985 CE (Le Strange, 1886) and is estimated to have written The Best Divisions in the Knowledge of the Regions between 985 and 990 CE (Miquel, 1967:xxxiv).