The Relationship Between Travel Literature and Spatial and Temporal Dimensions in the Works of Ahmad ibn Fadlan and Ibn Battuta

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between travel literature and spatial and temporal dimensions through selected examples from the travel accounts of Ahmad Ibn Fadlan and Ibn Battuta, within a modern narratological framework. It is based on the premise that space in travel narratives is not merely a geographical setting, but a semantic structure in which places interact with characters and events, contributing to the production of meaning within the text. The analysis shows that spatial representation in Ibn Fadlan’s account is characterized by documentary precision, detailed descriptions, and an objective approach aimed at portraying the societies he encountered. In contrast, spatial representation in Ibn Battuta’s narrative takes on a more aesthetic and experiential dimension, where description is intertwined with personal impressions and emotions, transforming space into a lived human experience. Regarding temporal structure, the study demonstrates that time in travel literature is not strictly linear but rather a complex interplay of real time, narrative time, and psychological time.