(slides 47, 48) Another important source of information on Andalusian society comes from the pages of illustrated Arabic manuscripts that have survived from this period. These slides depict images from one such manuscript. It contains the story of Bayad (a young man from Damascus) and Riyad (a slave girl belonging to a powerful minister in Andalusia). The book is a love story, and throughout the text, we find love poems and songs. This suggests that the manuscript might have also functioned as a sort of songbook. Most of the story is set in the palaces and gardens of a city in the 13th century. The book often refers to the culture of elegant society, making reference to the manners and habits of kings and nobles. Perhaps it belonged to a wealthy trader (or some other member of the bourgeoisie), for illustrated manuscripts were expensive. This particular book must have been quite costly because it contains many images, many of which contain several touches of gold paint. Back to slides