The History of the Magical Flying Carpets

Magic carpets are a form of transportation most notably found in oriental tales. These carpets are known also as flying carpets, as they transport their owners from one place to another through the air. Whilst magic carpets are perhaps most commonly associated with the stories found in the Thousand and One Nights, magic carpets have also been mentioned in the writings of different civilizations at various points of time in history.

History of Flying Carpets

Interestingly, contrary to popular opinion, the magic carpet does not feature prominently in the Thousand and One Nights. For example, in the Galland manuscript, the oldest manuscript which contains the first 282 (out of 1001) stories, no mention is made of magic carpets.

• Floating Islands Seen at Sea: Myth and Reality
• From Magic to Science: The Intriguing Ritual and Powerful Work of Alchemy

In the original version of ‘Aladdin and the Magic Lamp’, the abduction of Princess Badroulbadour and her bridegroom on their wedding night happened not on a magic carpet, but on their marriage bed, which was carried through the air by the genie of the lamp. It has also been asserted that magic carpets make their first appearance in more modern versions of the tale, most visibly Walt Disney’s 1992 Aladdin.