1001 Inventions: The Muslim Heritage in Our World runs until June 4 2006 at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and reveals how everyday tools, words and practises can be traced to their Islamic roots.
From the Rubik’s Cube to homing pigeons, all manner of things have been developed using discoveries made by ancient Muslim societies. Islamic inventions have aided everything from sea navigation to irrigation techniques.
According to the museum’s Muslim Heritage Consultant, Dr Rabah Saould, the primary objective of the exhibition is to provide a British audience with the correct perception of Islam whilst instilling a sense of self-respect in young Muslims.
“The only way to have self-respect is to be productive in your community,” says Dr Saould, who is also seeking to correct negative western perceptions of Muslim history.
The exhibition tackles these issues by splitting into seven sections that explore Muslim Heritage in Our Universe, World, Town, Hospital, Market, School and Home.
Along with artefacts and traditional written interpretation, each section offers interactive features – for example, the Universe section lets you touch and move an Islamic Astrolobe.
This instrument, developed by Muslims to time sunrise and sunset to tell them exactly when to pray, was just one of the inventions that proved enormously useful in the development of navigation and seafaring.
An interactive map in the World section lets you click on inventions marked over it to show the history of the item and a link to its city. of origin.
The link to Baghdad details the fascinating trick devices made by the ninth century Banu Musa brothers. They were great mathematicians and as well as their contribution to the advances in mathematics they are thought to have been a starting point for many executive toys like the Rubik’s Cube.
Other stories, like that of the 10th century Fatimid Caliph Aziz, tell of the development of the homing pigeon, which he trained to deliver cherries to him in Cairo.
Museum-goers with twiddley thumbs won’t be easily bored as many hands-on features help absorb the wealth of information. These include videos and audio tracks in the Home section, where you can listen to different Islamic instruments.
Part of the School section teaches about Muslim Art and Arabesque. For the more creative it is possible to build your own geometric mosaic with magnetic pieces.
Words that are now commonly used in the western world are also placed all around the outer areas of the exhibition, with explanations as to their relation to Muslim tradition and invention.
For example, the word ‘Tulip’ is thought to come from ‘Dulband’ meaning ‘turban,’ an indication of its Muslim origin.
A particularly fun feature in the Market section allows you to become a 10th Century Muslim farmer.
I picked the season, chose a water-raising machine, seeds and fertilisers and then found out my crop, successfully producing winter season vegetables, complete with pictures of them!
The exhibition is as accessible to children as it is to adults and similarly it caters for those familiar and unfamiliar with Muslim traditions. In the current climate it is a necessary introduction to the wealth of Muslim culture and how it relates to the world we inhabit today.
A series of workshops aimed at school children will be held until April 6, more information can be found on the exhibition website www.1001inventions.com
The exhibition will tour the UK after its launch in Manchester.
Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FP, Greater Manchester, England
T: 0161 832 2244
Open: Open daily 10.00-17.00
Closed: Closed 24-26 December and 1 January
