Zakariya ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini

1203–1283) was a writer on geography and cosmography, born in Qazvin, who wrote in Arabic. He is associated with Wonders of Creation and Oddities of Existence, gathering material on the natural world, heavens and living creatures, and with Athar al-bilad wa-akhbar al-ibad, concerning places, their inhabitants and histories. His works exemplify thirteenth-century encyclopedic culture, bringing geographical and natural knowledge together with inherited accounts of marvels. Athar al-bilad establishes his identity in this catalogue despite the abbreviated author name used in some records.