Det blev en minnesvärd upplevelse på flera plan.
Welcome to Al Andalus!
Al Andalus is a recreation of 13th Century Granada Spain, an enlightened period of great advances in science, art, literature and many other intellectual pursuits. What it is perhaps best known for is its "convivencia"... the peaceful coexistence of the three major religions. 13th Century Al Andalus was a muslim Caliphate, but our Al Andalus is governed by the second life citizens who want to be involved and explore new notions of democracy without regard to religion.
Al Andalus is owned by the non profit organization Virtual Democracy Inc, and is one of the only functional democracies in Second Life. We are "group governed" and strive to find consensus on sim issues wherever possible. We'd love to have you join us! Please IM Rose Springvale, Micael Khandr or Delia Lake for more information!
Apmelina Slingshot: do you have a blog or something?
Rose Springvale: we do
Rose Springvale: hold on...
Rose Springvale: http://www.alandalus.spruz.com/
Fern Leissa: Welcome everyone
Fern Leissa: Today is our first book signing, our first published book
Fern Leissa: Artemisia has been researching libraries of al Andalus and has written a book about it
Fern Leissa: She's going to tell us a little about her research
Fern Leissa: She says she learned a lot about Spain under Islamic rule
Fern Leissa: That is exactly the point of the library scholars program
Fern Leissa: To bring people into the library, help them start their research on topics
Fern Leissa: they are interested in and then publish what they have learned to share whith others
Fern Leissa: So let's let Artemisia say a little bit about what she did and what she learned
Artemisia Sockington: Thanks Fern!
Artemisia Sockington: Hi everyone! Im Artemisia Sockington and I´d like to thank you for coming to my book signing.
Artemisia Sockington: It's very exciting!
Artemisia Sockington: Researching the libraries of al Andalus was one of the most enlightening projects I have ever undertaken.
Artemisia Sockington: As I mention in the book, I was amazed at how little this advanced culture is actually discussed in modern day.
Artemisia Sockington: As I delved deeper into my research, I realized that the extensive libraries came to represent more than just academic prowess, as significant in world history as that is.
Artemisia Sockington: The libraries of al Andalus were a product of a culture that promoted the assimilation of ideas from other cultures.
Artemisia Sockington: This also included religious tolerance amongst, specifically in the Iberian Peninsula, the Muslims, Jews and Christians.
Artemisia Sockington: Even the process of creating books, an economic market that al Andalus cornered in medieval times in the West, was imported from China.
Artemisia Sockington: I enjoyed this topic immensely hopefully my book will entice you all to look deeper into al Andalus and its contributions to the world as a whole.
Artemisia Sockington: I want to thank Fern for putting of all of this together and for being a great understanding editor. Also I want to thank Stefanos for this fantastic music!
Artemisia Sockington: If you have any other questions such as what sources I used, please feel free to ask! Thanks so much for coming!
Det var när frågestunden började Apmelina till fullo insåg vilken lärd församling hon hamnat i.
Rose Springvale: I'm curious about your sources Artemsia.. and can you give us an idea of the scope and number of libraries in Al Andalus during this time period?
Artemisia Sockington: The sources I had were mainly secondary, English sources.
Artemisia Sockington: The main focus was usually on medieval Islamic libraries as a whole.
Artemisia Sockington: Because many of the libraries in al Andalus were destoryed not much specific information stiill exists
Rose Springvale: okay, were they open to the entire population? or only the scholars? do we know?
Stefanos Martynov: Are your work related with the famous Library of Cordoba during the califate era ?
Artemisia Sockington: The number of libraries is also uncertain but there is research that leads us to believe that libraries were fairly common
Artemisia Sockington: And that there were several kinds
Artemisia Sockington: There were some public libraries
Micael Khandr: One of the most interesting things I've learned from you today is that the Al Andalus community 'cornered the market' for paper books in Europe--which directly led to the Western European Renaissance, which then accessed these books in the 14th century and later.
Rose Springvale: when you say cornered the market, was it a commercial venture?
Artemisia Sockington: In a way yes.
Artemisia Sockington: Paper production in al Andalus was very profitable
Bianca Namori: In a way that the library was funded to gather and record information or to distribute the information they already had?
Micael Khandr: My (limited) understanding of the Italian Renaissance was that the Medicis purchased a number of these books--probably created in Al Andalus!
Artemisia Sockington: As it was considered the main place in the West where paper was produced
Rose Springvale: interesting given the dearth of water!
Artemisia Sockington: Bianca, they did both
Micael Khandr: in Al Andalus, Rose?
Lostie86 Sharpshire: Artemisia, what would be a rough percentage of online rescources oppose to RL books that you've had used in your research? and what are the main difficulties you faced looking for them? and your strategy to over come them too? :)
Rose Springvale: yes
Artemisia Sockington: They were known to translate as well as write their own literature
Bianca Namori: Oh that's very interesting!
Artemisia Sockington: Lostie, roughly my percentage was 85% books and academic journals and 15% online sources
Artemisia Sockington: The main difficulties were language barriers
Artemisia Sockington: Since most of them are in Spanish
Bianca Namori: Did you have to obtain these books firsthand by visiting places that housed them, or did you order a lot? How many hours would you say you spent during the research from both? -smiles-
Artemisia Sockington: I got a lot of books from the Library of Congress and then I a lot of the academic journals I got from online databases such as jstor
Artemisia Sockington: About the amount of time it took.....hahaha I finished it in about 3 or 4 months but that's a pretty rough figure
Artemisia Sockington: As for the reliability and legitimacy of sources I ended p comparing and contrasting information
Artemisia Sockington: I would follow their sources and see if those sources seemed legitimate
Artemisia Sockington: Or to see if my sources agreed on certain ideas
Lostie86 Sharpshire: oh, interesting, how do you define a legitimate srource?
Artemisia Sockington: To find more sources I just followed the bibliographies of others
Artemisia Sockington: A legitimate source to me is one that is at least well argued, usually using primary sources
Artemisia Sockington: If I feel that a source is a litle unstable I sometimes use it anyway as an example of what opinions are out there, usually with a disclaimer
Artemisia Sockington: If I feel a little uneasy about it
Artemisia Sockington: Anything else I can help with?
Rose Springvale: Artemisia
Rose Springvale: were the books and writings all done by men?
Micael Khandr: Good question!
Artemisia Sockington: Most were
Artemisia Sockington: I'd say the vast majority
Rose Springvale: do you know anything about the literacy of women during this time period?
Artemisia Sockington: I did not find mouch information on that, even though I did try. But there is a point in the book where I do mention that there was a rumor of a female librarian.
Micael Khandr: I would guess that if there was a female librarian, there was at least a number of women who were literate.
Rose Springvale: Dr Khandr, perhaps you can do a report for us on that :)
Artemisia Sockington: As books and literacy were seen as both a leisurely activity as well as a kind of religious piety, I'm sure some noble women were literate
Micael Khandr: I'm not so sure you would find a female librarian in Renaissance Italy!
Bianca Namori: Well, hold on a tick, there where female judges around the era or filtering out, weren't there?
Bianca Namori: So isn't it possible for female lore keepers/assistants?
Micael Khandr: In Renaissance Europe, Bianca?
Rose Springvale: i'm curious on the status of women in a Muslim ruled spain... curious about the tolerance between sexes and religions, as in all three abrahamic religions in most of this perioed, women were not generally granted the right to education.
Bianca Namori: Pre Renaissance, and sliding into it.
Micael Khandr: I didn't know that . . .interesting!
Callipygian Christensen: I believe literacy ws fairly common among the convents as early as the 12th centruy.Hildegard of Bingen for example
Micael Khandr: That is true, Callie
Micael Khandr: Both monks and nuns were literate
Callipygian Christensen: I think it would follow that a culture of litracy would reamin constant moving forward
Rose Springvale: but judges would not have been muslim
Rose Springvale: nor, i imagine, jewish or catholic, if i remember my history
Micael Khandr: So, what would they have been?
Rose Springvale: that's my question!
Lostie86 Sharpshire: It is common in some modern day Muslim countries to find female judges, and on the higher level too, so perhaps i'd say there would be in the old days as well! as there is no restrictions for a woman to work as a judge in Islam
Bianca Namori: Women weren't under very heavy subjection as they are now, just from family history. But, yes, I doubt they would of been judges, but maybe as mentioned, lorekeepers? Scribes? -waits excitedly for Ms. Art to respond-
Micael Khandr: So it would be interesting to know how widespread women in positions of authority or responsibility was in Al Andalus of this period
Artemisia Sockington: I haven't gotten a chance to research women during this time period, but I do believe it wouldn't be too surprising for them to work as scribes
Callipygian Christensen: quote: One historical account states that the Umayyad chancery employed 70 women copyists and Qur’an calligraphers. Hundreds of other women served the vast imperial household.
Rose Springvale: source? :)
Fern Leissa: Wow. As calligraphers. I did not know that
Rose Springvale: i read it was against the law for women to be taught to write someplace
Callipygian Christensen: its from an article on th UPF site..
Callipygian Christensen: http://www.upf.tv/
Callipygian Christensen: interesting place to do some reading
Callipygian Christensen: I think like many things Rose, something is allowed, encouraged, then at some key pint it changes..historically we may know the before, the after, or the turning pint..but without being actual histoians we don't know the range :)
Lostie86 Sharpshire: i think simply that people manipulate the law, or there should be a proper understanding to the law and how it is applied! so it may depend on the period time or the location ?
Artemisia Sockington: I think you're right Calli
Rose Springvale: thanks Artemisia!
Rose Springvale: Thank you for a nice presentation, and thank you to Fern for your work in finding Artemisia and keeping the library growing
Fern Leissa: Anybody like a book :)
Bianca Namori: Knowledge is power.
Fern Leissa: Talk to Artemisia. Only chance for a signed copy
Apmelina Slingshot: i would love to have a book..feel like i need to read up:)
Förutom all bokkunskap så gav Stefanos, snett bakom Bianca på bilden, prov på alldeles fantastisk musik med fantastiska musiker som Apmelina ska leta upp och lyssna mer på när hon läst ut sin bok (imma Artemisia Sockington så droppar hon säkert boken på den som är intresserad).
Stefanos Martynov: we start music with an adalucian rock band
Stefanos Martynov: Medina Azahara
Stefanos Martynov: they mix rock with arabo-andaluz sounds
Stefanos Martynov: they have over 30 years active in Spain
Stefanos Martynov: their name is related to an muslim archeological site in Andalucia
Stefanos Martynov: We now hear another artist
Stefanos Martynov: she is french and morrocan, she is jew. she illutrates well what we evocate today :-)
Stefanos Martynov: add to that she can perfectly sings in french, english, spanish, arab and hebrew :-)
Stefanos Martynov: Her artist name is Sapho
Stefanos Martynov: "avec le temps" a song from an anarchist french singer , Leo Ferré, redone in flamenco and rewritten in arab
Stefanos Martynov: "avec le temps" has became "Maa zaman"
Apmelina var mer än nöjd med sin kväll.
Apmelina Slingshot: thank you all.. my first time here..hope not the last
Rose Springvale: you are welcome any time Apmelina!
Fern Leissa: Please do come again
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