Ibn al-'Awwam facts for kids

Ibn al-'Awwam (Arabic: ابن العوام), also known as Abu Zakariya Ibn al-Awwam (Arabic: أبو زكريا بن العوام), was a skilled Arab farmer and writer. He lived in Seville, a city in modern-day southern Spain, during the late 1100s. He wrote a very important book about farming called Kitāb al-Filāḥa (which means Book on Agriculture).

This book is one of the most complete farming guides from the Middle Ages. It covers many topics about growing crops and raising animals. Later, in the 1800s, his book was translated into Spanish and French. The French version is quite long, about 1350 pages!

Who Was Ibn al-'Awwam?

His full name was Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Al-'Awwam Al-Ishbili (Arabic: أبو زكريا يحيى بن محمد بن أحمد بن العوام الإشبيلي). The last part of his name, "Al-Ishbili," means "the Sevillean," showing he was from Seville. We don't know exactly when he was born or when he died.

Most of what we know about him comes from his own book. It seems he owned a lot of land and was very interested in farming. He probably did a lot of hands-on work himself. He also experimented with many different crops. It's clear he had read many farming books written by people before him.

Ibn al-'Awwam's Amazing Book on Farming

Ibn al-'Awwam's book, Kitāb al-Filāḥa, is like a huge encyclopedia of farming. It's over a thousand pages long! He gathered information from many different authors. He mentioned 112 writers who came before him.

He used ideas from Greek authors, especially a book called Geoponica. He also used ideas from Middle Eastern Arabic writers, like the Book of Nabataean Agriculture. A lot of his information came from other Arab writers in Spain, like Ibn Bassal. These writers had also read many older farming texts.

What's Inside the Book?

Ibn al-'Awwam's book has thirty-four chapters. The first thirty chapters are all about growing plants and crops. The last four chapters focus on farm animals.

The first few chapters teach about different types of soil and how to make them better with fertilizers. They also explain how to use irrigation (watering systems) and how to plan a garden.

Then, five chapters talk about growing fruit trees. This includes how to graft (join parts of plants), prune (trim branches), and grow new trees from cuttings. He wrote about dozens of different fruit trees.

Later chapters cover topics like ploughing the land and choosing the best seeds. He also wrote about farming tasks for different seasons. You can find information on growing grains, leguminous plants (like beans and peas), and even aromatic plants (for smells or flavors). He explained how to grow many plants individually.

One chapter is all about how to keep and store food after harvest. He also described the signs of many diseases that affect trees and vines, and how to cure them. For livestock, he discussed common diseases and injuries in horses and cattle.

Even though Ibn al-'Awwam used many other authors' writings, his own practical farming knowledge guided the whole book. He knew a lot about farming from his own experiences.

You can find copies of his book online today. The Spanish version was published in 1802, and the French version came out in 1864.

See also

In Spanish: Ibn al-Awwam para niños

• Arab Agricultural Revolution