An overview of Greek and Arabic descriptions of Sinai and the Monastery of St. Catherine in the eighteenth century

Abstract

This article overviews a number of manuscripts and printed books that constitute potential sources for the history of the monastery of Saint-Catherine, Sinai, in the 18th century. Firstly, the most likely source of this ensemble, the Épitomè written by Nectarios of Crete, is introduced. Then, the publication of the six editions of the Greek Périgraphè is discussed, starting from the first one, which was printed in 1710 in Wallachia, and ending with the sixth and the largest one, published in 1817 in Venice. This study indicates that a critical edition and translation of these texts, a sample of which we provide for the two Arabic versions, should be accompanied by a thorough examination of the differences they show with the Épitomè.