Mountains of the Moon (Africa)
Legendary east African mountains linked to the Nile's source.
The Mountains of the Moon are a legendary mountain range in east Africa, long associated with the source of the Nile River.[1] Ancient and medieval geographers, including Ptolemy and Arab scholars, placed these mountains on their maps based on a merchant's report.[2][3]
Quick Facts
- Latin name
- Montes Lunae
- Alternate name
- Jibbel el Kumri
- Region
- East Africa
- Associated river
- Nile River
- Modern identification
- Rwenzori Mountains (Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
Ptolemy produced maps showing the reported location of the mountains.[2] Bruce identified the Mountains of the Moon with Mount Amedamit, which he described as surrounding the source of the Lesser Abay in two semi-circles like a new moon.[4] G. W. B. Huntingford suggested in 1940 that the Mountain of the Moon should be identified with Mount Kilimanjaro.[5] A trader by the name of Diogenes claimed to have journeyed twenty-five days inland from Rhapta, located in East Africa, and discovered where the Nile originates.[2]
According to his account, the river emerged from a cluster of enormous peaks and then passed through several big lakes.[2] Later Arab geographers placed the mountains at the same coordinates that Ptolemy had used.[3] A number of contemporary researchers question whether Diogenes' accounts are accurate, and some believe his stories were entirely invented.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Mountains of the Moon (Africa)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Mitchell, Samuel Augustus, "Map of Africa (1839)" (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Mountains of the Moon (Africa)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: His Geographia, IV.8. reports “The Mountain of the Moon” (τὸ τῆς Σελήνης ὄρος) and its location. But William D. Cooley in an 1854 monograph argued that the pass (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Mountains of the Moon (Africa)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ralph Ehrenberg, Mapping the World : An Illustrated History of Cartography (National Geographic, 2005) (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Mountains of the Moon (Africa)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: James Bruce, Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile (1805 edition), vol. 5 p. 209 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Mountains of the Moon (Africa)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: G.W.B. Huntingford, Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, p. 175 (London: the Hakluyt Society, 1980). (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Mountains of the Moon (Africa) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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