Moor to it than meets the eye
“THERE’s no fate worse than being blind in Granada,” a Spanish saying goes. But not all eyes can read what they see.
Granada’s incredible Alhambra, probably the most famous monument in all of Spain, has long been an object of fascination for historians, writers, artists and people in general.
Yet this beautiful palace-fortress still hides thousands of secrets, in particular the Arabic inscriptions that were written centuries ago. In fact, efforts to translate and interpret these inscriptions began almost as soon as the last Moors left Granada in 1492 after the Catholic monarchs completed the Reconquista of Spain.
Just nine years later, in 1501, a translation institute was established in Spain. Naturally, much of its work involved translating the Arabic left behind by centuries of Moorish rule.
Ever since, countless experts and visitors have been trying to decipher the meanings of the inscriptions which cover so many of the Alhambra’s walls, roofs, arches and other features. Foreign travellers, in particular the British artists of the 18th century, also attempted to study and catalogue the many thousands of verses and sayings.
Unfortunately, these works either failed to truthfully represent what was found, or covered only small parts of the Alhambra. In other cases, sadly, the work was lost.
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