Khallaf El Ghalbi (Author)
Physis: Rivista Internazionale di Storia della Scienza
Volume: 56
Pages: 275-288
Jabir ibn Hayyan (8th century) is considered one of the first to divide rocks according to their origins and he clearly distinguished between three categories of rocks. Al-Jahidh (9th century) mentioned volcanoes and fire rocks, pondering some interpretations of the diversity of characteristics of rocks which were based on the ratio of the terrestrial, water or air component, but did not take into consideration the fire component. The brothers of al-Safa (9th century –10th century), also distinguished smooth solid magmatic rocks that contained few plants, from soft superimposed sedimentary rocks (layer upon layer), in which many caves and a lot of plants, grasses and trees could be observed. Ibn Sina (11th century) also distinguished between sedimentary rocks (consisting mainly of a terrestrial substance) and the igneous rocks (consisting predominantly of water). It seems that Al-Al-Dimashqui (8th century) was well aware that the formation of some rocks was due to their exposure to very high temperatures (such as white marble), where the extensive heat changed their shape and the original stone appearance so that they took on a completely new aspect. Al-Jahidh stated: “And tell me about the jewels of the Earth […] are they something definitely created or earth that has been turned into them (transformed)?” Perhaps this is the first reference to metamorphic rocks. It is a statement that the rocks containing the gems, are not the ‘land’ created by God, and then remained as it was first created; but they are rocks that could be changed and transformed. Muslim naturalists were fully aware of the many origins and categories of rocks. It may be possible to consider them as the founders in general of petrology and in particular of the science of sedimentary rocks. Especially with regard to the works of Al-Bairouni (10th century-11th century), Al-Karkhi (11th century), the brothers of Al-Safa and Ibn Sina, which present a precise scientific language, describing the processes of weathering, transport, sedimentation and their consequences.
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