LES SECRETS DES ILLUSIONNISTES ARABES AU MOYEN ÂGE

Abstract

Many medieval Arabic texts deal with illusionism, mixing esoteric practices and magic
tricks. These tricks aim at entertaining but also at swindling or deceiving people. Generally,
the authors of such texts reveal the secrets and techniques of these jugglers in order to
enlighten their readers and to denounce these fraudulent practices. This study presents the
main categories of tricks, focusing on the analysis of five important treatises: 1) al-Bāhir fī
ʿaǧāʾib al-ḥiyal by Ibn Šuhayd (Xth-XIth); 2) ʿUyūn al-ḥaqāʾiq wa īḍāḥ al-ṭarāʾiq by al-ʿIrāqī
(XIIIth); 3) al-Ḥiyal al- bābiliyya lil ẖizāna al-kāmiliyya by al-Qurašī (XIIIth); 4) al-Muẖtār
fī kašf al-asrār wa hatk al-astār by al-Ğawbarī (XIIIth); 5) Zahr al-basātīn fī ʿilm al-mašātīn
by al-Zarẖūnī (XIVth-XVth).