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An Anthology of Syriac Writers from Qatar in the Seventh Century
The Syriac writers of Qatar have not received the scholarly attention that they deserve in the last half century. This anthology seeks to redress such an underdevelopment by providing new material in English translation with accompanying Syriac and Garshuni editions to encourage further research in the sub-field of Beth Qatraye studies. It includes the work of some of the most prominent scholars in this field.
736 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
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September 14, 2021
The fabled Arabian Peninsula has often had it's reputation fall victim to all sorts of characters, Islamic revisionists, xenophobes and regional meddlers alike. Despite all this, the tapestry of its cultural history is preserved in the archaeology of the land and the literary culture.
This book is one of the cornerstones of academic studies that intersect at Syriac Aramaic, Church of the East theology and Arabian history. The region referred to in this book is known as "Beth Qatraye ܒܝܬ ܩܛܖ̈ܝܐ" (land of the Qataris) in Syriac but it encompasses a greater area than that of the modern kingdom. It stretches from north-eastern Saudi Arabia to the UAE and the coastal islands in between.
The effort put in by the authors and translators is no small feat, the end result demonstrates their labours as well as the depth and talent of the original Syriac writers. Aside from the sometimes complicated and symbol-rich vocabulary of the writers, their cross-confessional legacy is another testament to their skills. Mar Isaac of Nineveh, bishop of Nineveh (albeit shortly) and native of Qatar, is arguably one of the most influential writers of the Syriac tradition. His writings were translation and circulated amongst the Catholic and Orthodox, the Syriac Orthodox even fabricating his history to make him one of their own! Beyond Greek and Latin, we find Isaac, Dadisho, Gabriel and Ahob circulating in the Middle East in Arabic, Ge'ez, Armenian and even Coptic!
This book is one of the cornerstones of academic studies that intersect at Syriac Aramaic, Church of the East theology and Arabian history. The region referred to in this book is known as "Beth Qatraye ܒܝܬ ܩܛܖ̈ܝܐ" (land of the Qataris) in Syriac but it encompasses a greater area than that of the modern kingdom. It stretches from north-eastern Saudi Arabia to the UAE and the coastal islands in between.
The effort put in by the authors and translators is no small feat, the end result demonstrates their labours as well as the depth and talent of the original Syriac writers. Aside from the sometimes complicated and symbol-rich vocabulary of the writers, their cross-confessional legacy is another testament to their skills. Mar Isaac of Nineveh, bishop of Nineveh (albeit shortly) and native of Qatar, is arguably one of the most influential writers of the Syriac tradition. His writings were translation and circulated amongst the Catholic and Orthodox, the Syriac Orthodox even fabricating his history to make him one of their own! Beyond Greek and Latin, we find Isaac, Dadisho, Gabriel and Ahob circulating in the Middle East in Arabic, Ge'ez, Armenian and even Coptic!
Displaying 1 of 1 review