How did Ibn Battuta handle the problem of describing things or situations to people who had not seen or experienced them?
Ibn Battuta handled the problem of describing unfamiliar things by highlighting anything that was unfamiliar to ensure that the listener or reader was suitably impressed by accounts of distant yet accessible worlds.
He used vivid and detailed descriptions with specific measurements and materials. For example, when describing a temple near Mangalore, he mentioned it was "a square, approximately ten yards a side, five yards in height, all covered with cast bronze" and described a statue with "two red rubies for eyes, so cunningly made that you would say it could see."
His narrative included a variety of curious particulars and marvelous things that gave entertainment to the mind and delight to the ears and eyes, thereby arousing interest and giving edification to those who had not experienced these things themselves.
Explanation
The context clearly explains Ibn Battuta's approach to description. He highlighted unfamiliar things to impress readers, used vivid details with measurements (like the temple description), and included curious particulars and marvelous things to entertain and arouse interest. This made distant worlds accessible to those who hadn't experienced them.