Yossef Rapoport's 'The Lost Maps of the Caliphs' delves into the intriguing world of early Islamic cartography, exploring how rulers and scholars conceived and depicted the known world. This groundbreaking work reconstructs the intellectual landscape that shaped geographical knowledge during the Abbasid Caliphate, revealing the sophisticated methods used to chart empires and pilgrimage routes. Rapoport meticulously analyzes fragmented evidence and historical texts to bring these vanished maps to life, demonstrating their crucial role in imperial administration, trade, and cultural identity. It's an essential read for anyone interested in Islamic history, the history of science, or the evolution of cartography.