Bird Offal: Anonymous Benefits and Treatments

Heba Mahmoud Saad Abdelnaby (Alexandria University)

Fertilizers are widely discussed in Kutub al-Filāḥa (“books of husbandry/agriculture”), a genre of farming manuals compiled by Arab agronomists. These manuals document details about simple and compound manures and fertilizers, the characteristic features of each type of them, and their usage to improve certain kinds of soil. By analyzing Kutub al-Filāḥa from Egypt and Bilād al-Shām during the Mamluk period (1250–1517), this research project focuses on the practices related to the usage of bird droppings/offal, particularly pigeon offal, which was considered one of the best natural fertilizers due to its heat and moist qualities. The paper addresses these questions: Which type of soil was improved by bird offal? How was bird offal used as fertilizer and how was it prepared? When was it applied on plants and with which plants or trees was it much successful? How bird offal was used for treating certain plant diseases?

In addition, this paper also discusses the usage of bird offal in medical treatment. Many sources claim the successful treatment of several diseases or symptoms in the fields of dermatology, ophthalmology, oncology and gynecology by using bird offal. Although this aspect is not directly related to the study of the soil and agriculture, it is crucial for understanding the place of bird offal in the broader Islamic natural sciences. I analyze two Mamluk sources, Masālik al-Ābṣār fi Mamālik al-Āmṣār by al-Umarī and Ḥayāt al-Ḥayawān al-Kubra by al-Dumīrī, as well as other Mamluk-period materia medica, to explore the usage of bird offal in medical treatment and medicine preparation.

Balancing the Soil: Soil and Fertilizers in the Baodi quannong shu

Jörg Henning Hüsemann (Leipzig University)

Although frequently quoted in Ming- and Qing-period writings, the Baodi quannong shu 寶坻勸農書 (also Quannong shu 勸農書, “Manual for Encouraging Agriculture in Baodi”) by Yuan Huang 袁黃 (1533–1606) from the late 16th century remained a lesser-known agricultural manual. In its eight books, Yuan Huang dealt with various aspects of agriculture in Baodi 寶坻 (in present-day Tianjin) such as the correct timing of agricultural activities, field systems or irrigation methods. Since one of his main emphases is on soil preparation and fertilization, the Baodi quannong shu is a particularly rich source for a better understanding of late Ming soil science.

This presentation addresses two questions: (1) Yuan Huang‘s basic idea of all soil preparation and improvement was influenced by the traditional concept of a “balanced soil” (he tu 和土). What techniques did Yuan Huang describe to achieve this? (2) In addition to explaining the appropriate fertilizers for different types of soil, Yuan Huang also provided one of the earliest systematic accounts of different types of fertilizers. How did he categorize fertilizers and what role did they play in improving the soil? Like other agronomists of his time, Yuan Huang did not develop original ideas about soil and fertilizers, but was strongly influenced by traditional concepts. Analyzing his Baodi quannong shu, the presentation will show how traditional sources shaped Yuan Huang’s soil knowledge and how he reinterpreted their contents and adapted them to the conditions and needs in Baodi.