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By: Gamal al-Ghitani
Translated by: Farouk Abdel Wahab
Foreword by: Edward W. Said
“In the course of my long travels I have never seen a city so devastated. After a long time I ventured out into the streets. Death, cold and heavy, hung in the air. Walls have no value here, doors have been eliminated. No one is certain that they will see another day.” The Egypt of the Mamluk dynasty witnessed a period of artistic ostentation and social and political upheaval, at the heart of which lay the unsolved question of the ruler’s legitimacy. Now, in 1516, the Mamluk reign is coming to an end with the advance of the invading Ottomans. The numerous narrators, among them a Venetian traveler and several native Muslims, tell the story of the rise to power of the ruthless, enigmatic, and puritanical governor of Cairo, Zayni Barakat ibn Musa, whose control of the corrupt city is effected only through a complicated network of spies and informers.
Turath was established in 2009 with the aim of preserving Egyptian handicrafts and providing artisans with an outlet for their products. Over the years, the Company has worked with over 60 suppliers and as many as 250 families. We specialize in high quality products.