Old Age, Old Age, Research Projects -Orient Institute Beirut

Conducted By: Dr. Syrinx von Hees

History of Old Age in Egypt and Syria during Mamluk times,
13th to 15th centuries

Since Philippe Ariès’ ground-breaking research on the history of childhood (1960) and death (1977), the approach of historical anthropology has been used to study the history of old age. The meaning of growing old is dependent on the social and cultural context of each individual. In other words, the concept of old age is, to a certain extent, constructed by society and therefore, the experience of old age has varied considerably over the course of history. Yet, in the historiography of the Middle East, such anthropological approaches have been rare, and few have addressed the representations and roles of the elderly in Islamic cultures.

For this research project, I have chosen to focus on the history of old age in Egypt and Syria during the Mamluk period. My aim is on the one hand, to examine conceptions of aging in multiple and varied discourses. I analyze conceptions of old age as presented in medicine, theology, poetry and so-called folk literature. On the other hand, I use biographical handbooks to examine the experiences of various elderly individuals. The data given are confined to the intellectual and military elite. I analyze their activities and practices while they are growing old in order to show patterns of possible behavior for the elderly in Mamluk times.

Since November 2007, the following lectures have come out of this project:

29. 11. 07		Old age as depicted in Sirat Baybars – a fiction with socio-cultural function?, Cairo, Netherlands-Flemish-Institute, Workshop: “Fictionalizing the Past: Historical Characters in Arabic Popular Epic”.

21. 05. 08		Working conditions and retirement options for elerly ʿulamāʾ in Mamluk times, Beirut, Université Saint-Joseph, Centre Louis Pouzet, Cycle: “Histoire et Société à l’époque Mamelouke”.