Islamic technology - general: Islamic fine technology and its influence on the development of European horology; medieval Arabic mechanical technology; from Philo to al-Jazari; Arabic fine technology and its influence on European mechanical engineering; Arabic mechanical engineering - survey of the historical sources; information on technology in the works of Muslim geographers; mining technology; hydraulic machines. Greek technology: les oeuvres de Heron et leur contexte historique; construction of a flaunting machine by Apollonius the Carpenter. Islamic technology - specific: the nilometer; the Banu Musa and their Book of ingenious devices; Qusta Ibn Luga al-Biruni's mechanical calendar; al-Jazari; notice of an important al-Jazari manuscript. technology in Andalusia: a treatise on machine by Ibn Mu adh Abu Abdallah al-Jayyani; Andalusian technology. Technology and war: Trebuchet; the camel and the horse and the early Arab conquests.

Although the contributions of Islamic civilisations to science have long been recognised, the application of this scientific expertise to technology had been neglected until the publication of this then pioneering 1986 text. The book begins to remedy that neglect, first by celebrating the richness and ingenuity of the world of Islamic technology and then by pointing the way forward to its more detailed exploration. Lavishly illustrated, this book explores the major technological achievements of Islamic civilisations, namely the public works of civil engineering, the machines and mechanical devices which served to control water, provide power, serve as instruments or to amuse.

Accessible to students and general readers, this book is a concise but thorough introduction to Caribbean folklore. Included are chapters on the many different types of folklore, a selection of examples and texts, a survey of scholarship and criticism, and a look at Caribbean folklore in literature and contemporary culture. The volume closes with a glossary and a bibliography of print and electronic resources suitable for student research. The Caribbean is a world of great historical and cultural importance. It has produced numerous literary, artistic, and musical works and has significantly influenced life in the United States. Folklore is central to Caribbean culture. It draws upon the oral traditions and experiences of the Caribbean people and colors their daily life and creative endeavors. At a time when the Caribbean is gaining increasing importance to the curriculum, this book provides a concise but thorough overview of the folklore of that region. Written for students and general readers, this volume offers a broad survey of Caribbean folklore. It begins by classifying and defining the area's many types of folklore. It then provides numerous examples and texts and looks at related scholarship and criticism. In addition, it comments on the role of folklore in literature and contemporary Caribbean culture. The book closes with a glossary and a bibliography of print and electronic resources suitable for student research.