At a time when the outlines of the known world were a mystery to many, and even the most powerful empires had no idea about the realms beyond their distant borders, the scholars of the Muslim world rose up as pioneers of exploration and geography. Ibn Hawqal, who lived in the 10th century AD, can rightfully be considered as the world's first travel writer. Thanks to his extensive explorations and mapping, the people of the early Middle Ages had a much better knowledge about the world around them, and the cultures living in it. But how exactly was the world envisioned in the 10th century AD? Ibn Hawqal: A Trailblazer Mapping the Unknown