Past reality in the "Book of the Marvels of the World" by Marco Polo

jats:pThis article analyses the role of the past references in the Book of the Marvels of the World written in the 13th century by Marco Polo, a Venetian explorer and merchant who travelled through Asia and had his memories written down by Rustichiello da Pisa. At the beginning, the characteristics of the text and its complexity are presented. In the following section, the role of descriptions relating to the future and to the present is shown. Then, a number of levels are distinguished through which references to the past are situated in the narrative. One level is through a description of the circumstances in which the text was created. Another level is through a report from the Polo family’s first trip to the East. The next level is the story of Marco’s journey with his father and uncle. Finally, there is also a time level where all the references to the history of the lands visited by the author are situated. Marco Polo attempts to show interesting stories related to the lands he has visited, using intertextual references to myths and legends familiar to Europeans of his time. Some stories are intended to show how the rule of Kublai Khan changed the image of Asia and to highlight the development of civilization related to the expansion of the Mongol empire.</jats:p>