THE RECORD
What changed
Greek, Syriac, Persian and Sanskrit works were translated into Arabic, then criticized and extended.
EVIDENCE
What remains
Manuscripts, biographies, bibliographies and astronomical tables survive, while the institution's exact organization remains unclear.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why it matters
Preservation was not passive copying; new problems and methods emerged in algebra, medicine and astronomy.
OPEN QUESTION
Where interpretation begins
The image of one vast university housing every scholar is weakly supported; translation spanned patrons and places.