Al-Kindi's letter on swords and their types was written between 833 and 841 AD. The three authors of this edition, combining expertise in classical Arabic, Islamic art history and metal technology, have produced a volume which contains an introduction on the swords of the Islamic world.

Al-Kindi's letter on swords and their types was written between 833 and 841 AD. It is the only work from the early Islamic world devoted to the subject, and although an Arabic edition was published in 1952, the letter remains relatively unknown. The three authors of this edition, combining expertise in classical Arabic, Islamic art history and metal technology, have produced a volume which contains an introduction on the swords of the Islamic world, facsimiles of the two known manuscripts, an English translation of the text, and a detailed commentary on it.

James Allan: Introduction. Facsimiles of the Two Manuscripts. Robert Hoyland: Translation. Brian Gilmour and James Allan: Commentary