The Meadow of Gold and the Mines of Precious Stones

This book is the name of an Arabic work on general history, human civilization, Arab history and Muslim caliphs up to the caliphate of the Abbasid caliph, Muti. It is one of the most important sources of pre-Islamic and Islamic history.

The author
Abul Hasan Ali Mas’oudi, one of the most eminent Arab writers; (893 – 965). His works comprise geography, history, general philosophy, science, Muslim law and its principles. He also wrote the history of Imam Ali, of the family of the ####Prophet, of the Twelver Shia and of the Imamate. The best known among the 36 titles listed are a great history of the world, which is said to have filled 30volumes; a work containing generalities regarding the universe and information of a historical nature on non-Muslim peoples (including the pre-Islamic Arabs) and the history of Islam, from the Prophet up to the caliphate of the Abbasid caliph, Muti’ and finally, a work called “Warning and Revision” which is basically an overall review.

Structure of the book
The book contains 132 chapters. It begins with a discussion about the Creation of the world. The author divides the famous people of that time into 7 groups, based on their race, language and culture:
- The Iranians
- The Chaldeans and Arabs
- The Greeks, Slavs and Francs
- The Libyans and Egyptians
- The Turks
- The Indians
- The Chinese

This prominent book has been translated into Persian, English, French and Latin.