A thirteenth-century Arabic manuscript featuring one of the earliest known collections of Islamic world maps is the focus of Routes and Realms – al-Masālik wa al-Mamālik, a major exhibition running at the Chester Beatty in Dublin, Ireland, until 7 September 2025.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a rare copy of Kitāb al-Masālik wa al-Mamālik (“The Book of Routes and Realms”), a geographical treatise produced in the medieval Islamic world. It contains 21 vividly illustrated maps that depict regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. These schematic maps do not follow modern conventions of scale or orientation; instead, they reflect a distinctive approach to representing space, shaped by trade networks, political boundaries, and cultural centres.
Photo courtesy Chester Beatty
The manuscript is part of the Chester Beatty’s Arabic collection (CBL Ar 3007) and is notable for its high-quality preservation and artistic detail. The maps originate from a geographical tradition that began with the 10th-century Persian scholar al-Iṣṭakhrī and continued to influence Islamic cartography for centuries.
A Contemporary Artistic Response
Photo courtesy Chester Beatty
Also featured in the exhibition are newly commissioned artworks by Dublin-based artist Diaa Lagan. Her mixed-media pieces are displayed alongside the manuscript and offer a contemporary response to its themes, focusing on borders, memory, and the way maps shape cultural identity. These works build a visual dialogue between medieval geography and present-day reflections on movement and belonging.
Routes and Realms includes a robust series of public tours, family-friendly workshops, and community outreach activities. While admission to the exhibition is free, booking is required for some events.
The Chester Beatty is a world-class museum of manuscripts, art, and rare books located in the historic grounds of Dublin Castle. Its collections span cultures and centuries, with strengths in Islamic, East Asian, and Western medieval traditions. Click here to learn more about the exhibition.
A thirteenth-century Arabic manuscript featuring one of the earliest known collections of Islamic world maps is the focus of Routes and Realms – al-Masālik wa al-Mamālik, a major exhibition running at the Chester Beatty in Dublin, Ireland, until 7 September 2025.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a rare copy of Kitāb al-Masālik wa al-Mamālik (“The Book of Routes and Realms”), a geographical treatise produced in the medieval Islamic world. It contains 21 vividly illustrated maps that depict regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. These schematic maps do not follow modern conventions of scale or orientation; instead, they reflect a distinctive approach to representing space, shaped by trade networks, political boundaries, and cultural centres.
The manuscript is part of the Chester Beatty’s Arabic collection (CBL Ar 3007) and is notable for its high-quality preservation and artistic detail. The maps originate from a geographical tradition that began with the 10th-century Persian scholar al-Iṣṭakhrī and continued to influence Islamic cartography for centuries.
A Contemporary Artistic Response
Also featured in the exhibition are newly commissioned artworks by Dublin-based artist Diaa Lagan. Her mixed-media pieces are displayed alongside the manuscript and offer a contemporary response to its themes, focusing on borders, memory, and the way maps shape cultural identity. These works build a visual dialogue between medieval geography and present-day reflections on movement and belonging.
Routes and Realms includes a robust series of public tours, family-friendly workshops, and community outreach activities. While admission to the exhibition is free, booking is required for some events.
The Chester Beatty is a world-class museum of manuscripts, art, and rare books located in the historic grounds of Dublin Castle. Its collections span cultures and centuries, with strengths in Islamic, East Asian, and Western medieval traditions. Click here to learn more about the exhibition.
You can also view the manuscript online – click here to see it.
Top Image: Photo courtesy Chester Beatty
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