Miniature from a Mamluk copy of the 鈥楢utomata of al Jaziri' or the 鈥楤ook of Knowledge of Mechanical Devices'. The mechanical devices depicted and described in the book did not always have practical use; some were automata contrived for amusement. Country of Origin: Egypt. Culture: Islamic. Date / Period: Mamluk copy; first written 1181-1206. Place of Origin: Dyarbakir.