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The earliest surviving instance of sustained first-person travel narrative in ArabicMission to the Volga is a pioneering text of peerless historical and literary value. In its pages, we move north on a diplomatic mission from Baghdad to the upper reaches of the Volga River in what is now central Russia. In this colorful documentary from the tenth century, the enigmatic Ibn Fadlan relates his experiences as part of an embassy sent by Caliph al-Muqtadir to deliver political and religious instruction to the recently-converted King of the Bulghars. During eleven months of grueling travel, Ibn Fadlan records the marvels he witnesses on his journey, including an aurora borealis and the white nights of the North. Crucially, he offers a description of the Viking Rus, including their customs, clothing, body painting, and a striking account of a ship funeral. Together, these anecdotes illuminate a vibrant world of diversity during the heyday of the Abbasid Empire, narrated with as much curiosity and zeal as they were perceived by its observant beholder.

Bulgars (Turkic people) --- Bolgars (Turkic people) --- Proto-Bulgarians --- Bulgarians --- Ethnology --- Finno-Ugrians --- Turkic peoples --- History. --- Ibn Faḍlān, Aḥmad, --- Aḥmad ibn Faḍlān, --- Ibn-Fadlan, Akhmed, --- İbn Fazlan, --- إبن فضلان، أحمد، --- ابي فضلان --- ابن فضلان، أحمد --- ابن فضلان، أحمد، --- 伊本 怕孜兰, --- Yiben Fazilan, --- 怕孜兰, 伊本, --- Fazilan, Yiben, --- Travel --- Tatarstan (Russia) --- Volga River Region (Russia) --- Respublika Tatarstan (Russia) --- Republic of Tatarstan (Russia) --- Tatarstan Respublikasy (Russia) --- Tatarstan Republic (Russia) --- Pravitelʹstvo Respubliki Tatarstan --- Pravitelʹstvo Respubliki Tatarstan (Russia) --- Татарстан (Russia) --- Республика Татарстан (Russia) --- Татарстан Республикасы (Russia) --- Правительство Республики Татарстан (Russia) --- Tatarstan Respublikası (Russia) --- Republik Tatarstan (Russia) --- Republiek van Tartarstan (Russia) --- تتارستان (Russia) --- Tatāristān (Russia) --- Татаристан (Russia) --- Татарстан Республикаhы (Russia) --- Tatarstan Respublikaḣy (Russia) --- Republika Tatarstan (Russia) --- Татаар Республика (Russia) --- Tataar Respublika (Russia) --- Tatarskai︠a︡ A.S.S.R. (R.S.F.S.R.) --- Description and travel. --- Aḥmad ibn Faz̤lān ibn al-ʻAbbās ibn Rāshid ibn Ḥammād, --- احمد بن فضلان بن العباس بن راشد بن حما