2. The arrival of Islam to the Iberian Peninsula meant a great cultural and
knowledge exchange between its inhabitants and Muslims.
In the 7th century, the Arabs introduced the knowledge of the Middle East,
China, India and Persia.
Some of the Muslim contributions to al-Andalus about science were
transmitted to European countries and later to the rest of the continents.
3. THE MATHS
The Arabs brought to
Spain, the Indian
numbering (now called
Arabic), the decimal
numbering and the use of
zero.
The merchants made their
operations with the
abacus.
4. GEOGRAPHY
They equipped the ships, with the compass (which they copied
from the Chinese), the stern rudder (timón de popa) and the Latin
sail, to nautical development.
The nautical quadrant measures the height of the Sun or a star and
allows you to calculate the latitude of the place, for navigation and
drawing maps.
5. ASTRONOMY KNOWLEDGE
The development of astronomy was
due in large part to its application to
Islamic religion: the position of the
Sun determines the moments of
prayer and the lunar cycles set the
calendar months.
Astronomers worked in large
observatories, where they built
astrolabs and spheres of the sky.
They calculated the inclination of
the axis of the Earth, the laws of the
tides (mareas), the diameter of the
Earth…
16 scientific treaties (tratados) of
Arab tradition are conserved, the
majority dedicated to the description
of astronomical instruments.
6. THE STILL
(Alambique)
It allows the distillation of oils
and perfumes, avoiding other
more complex processes.
They did not invent it, they
perfected it.
7. MEDICINE AND PLANTS
They introduced and cultivated
numerous plants, experienced their
properties and combined them in
preparations, such as syrups,
ointments, infusions, etc.
These prescriptions were collected in
works of Pharmacology.
8. MEDICINE AND SURGERY
They knew the works of great doctors
of Antiquity.
The surgeons had instruments which
they used in very advanced operations
for their time.
The inside of the human body was
finally known thanks to the dissection
of corpses.
This knowledge is collected, in Medical
Treatises, such as that of Al-Zahrawi,
the reference text of all Medieval and
Renaissance surgeons.
9. CONCLUSION
It is undoubtedly a period of great contributions, inventiveness and
originality.
An outstanding cultural, historical and scientific legacy, translated
into Latin at the Toledo School of Translators, in the 12th century,
which had a great impact on the Christian kingdoms and is part of
the signs of identity of Spanish culture.
