‘Alī al-Sharafīʼs 1551 Atlas: A Construct Full of Riddles

Abstract

AbstractThis paper examines the practices of translation in the 1551 Atlas of ‘Alī al-Sharafī of Sfax (d. after 1579). Drawing on conceptual frameworks from translation studies, linguistics, and other disciplines of textual and historical analysis, we argue that the iconographic and textual elements of the atlas –such as calendrical tables, qibla charts, knot patterns in frames, and depictions of flags and banners in sectional charts– reflect a quest for ways to culturally adapt map-making practices that were shared across the Mediterranean realm. As such, the product in question cannot be fully understood through the lens of traditional dichotomies such as Islamic vs. Christian or European vs. Middle Eastern or North African, as its cultural references and semiotic repertoire extend beyond subregional and confessional demarcations.