Muscat – Unesco has inscribed Nuniyah al Kubra (The Great Nuniyah), a manuscript by the 15th century Omani navigator Ahmad ibn Majid ibn Muhammad al Sa’di, in its Memory of the World Programme marking the second such recognition for an Omani manuscript.

Considered one of the most significant Omani contributions to navigation and marine science, the manuscript contains detailed information on ancient shipping routes and maritime geography. While earlier scholars limited their division of the Earth to seven regions in the northern hemisphere, Ibn Majid expanded the concept by adding seven regions in the southern hemisphere.

The Great Nuniyah also documents societies encountered by Ibn Majid and his crew, along with observations of marine environments and life. The manuscript also features anchoring techniques used during voyages.

Ibn Majid was born in 1421 and died in 1500. He based his maritime activities out of Ras al Hadd and is credited with advancements in navigational tools, including developments in the magnetic compass.

In 2017, Oman’s first manuscript to be inscribed was The Mine of Secrets in Oceanography by navigator Nasser bin Ali al Khadouri.