Two-volume work

Mosul historian launches encyclopedia of the people of Mosul

NINEVEH — Mosul-based researcher and historian Maen Abdulqader Al-Zakaria hosted a book signing event Wednesday at the Baytuna Foundation in the Manqusha neighborhood to promote his latest work, “Encyclopedia of the People of Mosul”. The two-volume encyclopedia, which totals 1,012 pages (500 in the first volume and 512 in the second), delves into the unique Mosuli dialect—its rare linguistic features within the Arabic language—and examines the social and historical forces that have shaped its evolution.

Al-Zakaria, who has already donated five copies to public libraries and plans to print additional editions for Nineveh’s libraries, told 964media, “This encyclopedia took a great deal of effort. The value of a book is not measured by the time spent writing it, but by the dedication to collecting, verifying, and analyzing its content from various perspectives. I am fully confident that I have achieved my goal with this book.”

He added that he personally oversaw the printing, coordination, and compilation of the work. “The purpose of this book is to bring to light the lesser-known aspects of Mosul’s history, or topics that were known but never deeply explored. I have delved into these subjects to document their essence,” he said.

Al-Zakaria’s previous work, “The History of Mosul Province in Iraqi Press Documents (1920–1950)”, has served as a foundational resource for graduate students and researchers studying Mosul’s historical narrative.

Attendee Abdul Fattah Ali Al-Botani described Al-Zakaria as a well-respected historian. “His latest book offers a deep exploration of Mosul’s heritage, particularly its distinct dialect. The Mosuli dialect is unique, incorporating many Aramaic, Persian, and Kurdish words,” he said. Al-Botani also highlighted the book’s examination of phonetic shifts in the local dialect, such as how the Arabic letter “R” is often pronounced as “Gh” by Mosul residents. “A major focus of the book is the late Dr. Dawood Al-Jalabi’s research on Aramaic influences in the spoken dialect of Mosul. Every household in Mosul should have this book because it is one of a kind,” he added.