Editing Kitab al-I'tibar (section)

=== Material culture ===

When Usama moves to Egypt in 1144 the [[caliph]] provided him with a place to reside, which he describes:<ref>Hitti, ''An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades'' p. 30</ref>

{{Block quote|text=(the caliph) had me invested with a robe of honour in his presence, bestowed on me a full wardrobe together with one hundred dinars, authorized me to use his baths and assigned for my residence one of the mansions of al-Afdal, son of the Amir-al-Juyush, which was extremely magnificent, fully equipped with carpets, furniture and a complete outfit of brass utensils.|sign=|source=}}

The autobiography gives evidence of textiles and clothing: ''He [<nowiki/>[[Al-Malik al-'Adil]]] put at my disposal six thousand Egyptian dinars, a camel load of Dabiqi clothes, of ciclatoum, of squirrel-furred gowns, of Dimyati brocade, and of turbans.''<ref>Hitti, ''An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades'' p. 35</ref>

Dabiqi cloth was linen, sometimes interwoven with gold and silk, ciclatoun was another precious cloth. Dimyati brocade was a white linen or silk with added gold threads. Usama describes the things that were plundered from his home when he had to flee from it: ''From the hall of my home they carried away forty huge camel bags all sewn up and containing great quantities of silver, gold and clothing, and from my stable they marched away thirty-six horses and female saddle mules''

Usama describes another time when his possessions were stolen when his family are returning from Egypt. On their journey, the [[Kingdom of Jerusalem|King of Jerusalem]] took all their valuable possessions: ''...jewellery, which had been entrusted to the women, clothes, gems, swords, weapons and gold and silver amounting to about thirty thousand dinars.''<ref>Hitti, ''An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades'' p. 61</ref>

The most significant loss for Usama were his 4,000 books. Books would be a very valuable item in the era before printing as they must be transcribed by hand (by a [[scribe]]) and only the wealthy would be able to afford them. Usama can cope with the loss of his other possessions but could never forget the loss of his books: "Their loss has left a heartsore that will stay with me to the last day of my life".<ref>Hitti, ''An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades'' p. 61</ref>

In the militarized society of the time, [[Looting#In armed conflict|war spoils]] were highly valued. They demonstrated prestige as only the rich elite could afford them. For example, Usama describes a quilted gold saddle he owned. He suggests that only someone of his status could afford such an item: ''Read what is on it. Is it' Abbas ' name and his son's, or is it my name? And who else in the days of al-Hafiz could ride in Egypt on a gold saddle but I?''<ref>Hitti, ''An Arab-Syrian Gentleman and Warrior in the Period of the Crusades'' p. 55</ref>