Dâvûd-i Antâkî (Dâvûd bin Ömer el-Antâkî) was a Muslim physician and pharmacist who lived in the 16th century. He is known for his medical book named Tezkire, named after him, which deals with herbal medicines and diseases. He died in Mecca in 1599.
He grew up in Antakya and was visually impaired from birth. He spent most of his life in this city. Despite his visual impairment, he was respected among his contemporaries for his sharp wit.
Cairo and Mecca years
He visited Damascus and Cairo during his pilgrimage. He stayed in Cairo for a long time; He taught at the Zahiriyye Madrasa and worked as a physician. At the end of his life, he went to Mecca and died there in 1599 (1008 Hijri). The cause of death is reported differently in sources.
His most important work is known as Tezkiretü üli'l-elbâb, simply Tezkire-i Dâvûd. This book, which describes herbal medicines, their preparation and use, was widely read in the Near East and was also translated into Ottoman Turkish. Apart from this, he also wrote works on astronomy and logic.
Antaqi is mentioned among the prominent physicians in the centuries that were considered as the stagnation period of Islamic medicine. Many manuscript copies of his works are found in Turkish libraries today.
