/* Zilal: "Shadows in History".
   Layout: one column (max 1180px). Home: a faint world map with a grey dot for every place a story
   is about, a timeline over it where each story stands at its era and casts a shadow away from a
   light that follows the pointer (sundial), then latest, the travellers' road and world eras.
   Articles: place + era line, a small locator map, one reading column. Greys and ink only; hover
   turns words full ink with a small cast shadow. Arabic: Aref Ruqaa display + Amiri text;
   English: Spectral. */
:root{
  --paper:#ecedea;       /* limestone, cool and low-chroma */
  --panel:#f6f6f3;
  --ink:#1d2126;         /* iron-gall ink */
  --mute:#676d72;
  --line:#d4d7d2;
  --dot:#8a8f93;         /* places, the travellers' route: grey, never colour */
  --shade:rgba(29,33,38,.22);   /* shadows on the timeline, the glow on the map */
  --cast:rgba(29,33,38,.30);    /* the shadow words cast on hover */
  --land:rgba(29,33,38,.05);    /* the world map */
  --ar-display:"Aref Ruqaa","Amiri",serif;
  --ar-text:"Amiri","Noto Naskh Arabic","Times New Roman",serif;
  --en-text:"Spectral",Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;
  --ui:"Hanken Grotesk",system-ui,-apple-system,"Segoe UI",sans-serif;
  --mono:"IBM Plex Mono",ui-monospace,Consolas,monospace;
  --text:var(--en-text);
  --display:var(--en-text);
}
html[dir="rtl"]{--text:var(--ar-text);--display:var(--ar-display);--ui:var(--ar-text)}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark){
  :root:not([data-theme="light"]){
    color-scheme:dark;
    --paper:#15181b; --panel:#1b1f23; --ink:#e6e4de; --mute:#9aa0a3; --line:#2b3035;
    --dot:#7d8387; --shade:rgba(0,0,0,.55); --cast:rgba(0,0,0,.85); --land:rgba(230,228,222,.07);
  }
}
:root[data-theme="dark"]{
  color-scheme:dark;
  --paper:#15181b; --panel:#1b1f23; --ink:#e6e4de; --mute:#9aa0a3; --line:#2b3035;
  --dot:#7d8387; --shade:rgba(0,0,0,.55); --cast:rgba(0,0,0,.85); --land:rgba(230,228,222,.07);
}

*{box-sizing:border-box}
html{scroll-behavior:smooth}
body{margin:0;background:var(--paper);color:var(--ink);font-family:var(--text);font-size:17px;line-height:1.6;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased}
html[dir="rtl"] body{font-size:19px;line-height:1.85}
img{max-width:100%;height:auto}
a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none;transition:text-shadow .18s ease,color .18s ease}
/* hover: the words turn full ink and cast a small shadow down and away, like the timeline's marks */
a:hover,.brand:hover .name{color:var(--ink);text-shadow:.05em .1em .06em var(--cast)}
html[dir="rtl"] a:hover,html[dir="rtl"] .brand:hover .name{text-shadow:-.05em .1em .06em var(--cast)}
a:focus-visible,button:focus-visible,input:focus-visible,textarea:focus-visible,canvas:focus-visible{outline:1.5px solid var(--ink);outline-offset:3px;border-radius:2px}
.screen-reader-text{position:absolute!important;width:1px;height:1px;overflow:hidden;clip:rect(0 0 0 0);white-space:nowrap}
.skip:focus{position:fixed!important;width:auto;height:auto;clip:auto;top:12px;inset-inline-start:12px;z-index:9;background:var(--panel);padding:8px 14px;border:1px solid var(--line)}
.wrap{max-width:1180px;margin:0 auto;padding-inline:24px}
.mono{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.02em;color:var(--mute);font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums}
[lang="ar"]{font-family:var(--ar-text)}
[lang="en"]{font-family:var(--en-text)}

/* ---------- header ---------- */
.top{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:18px 32px;flex-wrap:wrap;padding-block:22px 10px}
.brand{display:flex;flex-direction:column;line-height:1.1}
.brand .name{font-family:var(--display);font-size:44px;font-weight:700;line-height:1.15;transition:text-shadow .18s ease}
html[dir="ltr"] .brand .name{font-weight:300;font-size:40px;letter-spacing:-.01em}
.brand .sub{font-style:italic;font-size:15px;color:var(--mute);letter-spacing:.02em}
.brand .sub[lang="ar"]{font-family:var(--ar-display);font-style:normal;font-size:18px}
.nav{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:6px 22px;flex-wrap:wrap;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:14.5px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .nav{font-size:17px}
.langs{display:flex;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;overflow:hidden;font-family:"Hanken Grotesk",system-ui,sans-serif;font-size:13px}
.langs a{color:var(--mute);padding:4px 12px}
.langs a[lang="ar"]{font-family:var(--ar-text);font-size:14px}
.langs a[aria-current]{background:var(--line);color:var(--ink)}
.langs a + a{border-inline-start:1px solid var(--line)}

/* ---------- home: map + timeline ---------- */
.tl{position:relative;margin-top:6px;border-block:1px solid var(--line)}
.tl canvas{display:block;width:100%;height:470px;cursor:crosshair}
.tl-cap{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) auto;gap:6px 24px;align-items:baseline;padding-block:14px 18px;min-height:86px}
.tl-cap .when{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12.5px;color:var(--mute);font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums}
html[dir="rtl"] .tl-cap .when{font-family:var(--ar-text);font-size:15px}
.tl-cap .t{font-family:var(--display);font-size:24px;line-height:1.3;text-wrap:balance}
html[dir="rtl"] .tl-cap .t{font-size:27px;line-height:1.5}
.tl-cap .t a{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}
.tl-cap .t [lang="ar"]{font-family:var(--ar-display)}
.tl-cap .meta{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute);text-align:end}
html[dir="rtl"] .tl-cap .meta{font-size:15px}
.badge{display:inline-block;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:11.5px;letter-spacing:.03em;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;padding:1px 9px;color:var(--mute);vertical-align:middle;margin-inline-start:8px;white-space:nowrap}
html[dir="rtl"] .badge{font-size:13px}
.hint{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .hint{font-size:15px}

.sec{padding-block:38px 20px}
.sec-h{display:flex;align-items:baseline;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;flex-wrap:wrap;margin-bottom:18px}
.sec-h h2{margin:0;font-family:var(--display);font-weight:400;font-size:28px;line-height:1.2}
html[dir="rtl"] .sec-h h2{font-size:32px;font-weight:700}

.latest{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));gap:0 36px}
.latest article{border-top:2px solid var(--ink);padding-top:12px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:8px}
.latest h3{margin:0;font-weight:400;font-size:21px;line-height:1.3;text-wrap:balance}
html[dir="rtl"] .latest h3{font-size:23px;line-height:1.55;font-weight:700}
.latest p{margin:0;color:var(--mute);font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.55}
html[dir="rtl"] .latest p{font-size:17px;line-height:1.8}
.when{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;color:var(--mute);font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums}
html[dir="rtl"] .when{font-family:var(--ar-text);font-size:14px}

.route{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:34px 0 0;position:relative;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(6,minmax(0,1fr))}
.route::before{content:"";position:absolute;top:44px;inset-inline:0;border-top:1.5px dashed var(--dot);opacity:.8}
.stop{position:relative;padding-inline-end:16px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:4px}
.stop::before{content:"";width:13px;height:13px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--paper);border:2px solid var(--dot);position:relative;z-index:1;margin-bottom:10px}
.stop .yr{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .stop .yr{font-family:var(--ar-text);font-size:15px}
.stop .who{font-size:18px;line-height:1.3}
html[dir="rtl"] .stop .who{font-weight:700;font-size:19px;line-height:1.5}
.stop .what{font-size:14.5px;color:var(--mute);line-height:1.45}
html[dir="rtl"] .stop .what{font-size:16px;line-height:1.7}

.eras{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));gap:1px;background:var(--line);border:1px solid var(--line)}
.era:last-child:nth-child(3n+1){grid-column:1/-1}
.era{background:var(--paper);padding:18px 18px 20px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:8px}
.era h3{margin:0;font-family:var(--display);font-weight:400;font-size:20px;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;gap:10px;align-items:baseline}
html[dir="rtl"] .era h3{font-weight:700;font-size:23px}
.era .span{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:11.5px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .era .span{font-family:var(--ar-text);font-size:13.5px}
.era ul{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:6px;font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.4}
html[dir="rtl"] .era ul{font-size:17px;line-height:1.6}
.era .n{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;color:var(--mute)}

/* ---------- article ---------- */
.ahead{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1.15fr) minmax(0,.85fr);gap:24px 48px;align-items:center;border-top:1px solid var(--line);padding-block:36px 34px}
.ahead-solo{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,860px)}
.ahead-text{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:14px}
.era-line{margin:0;font-family:var(--mono);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute);font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums}
html[dir="rtl"] .era-line{font-family:var(--ar-text);font-size:16px}
h1{margin:0;font-family:var(--display);font-weight:300;font-size:clamp(34px,4.4vw,54px);line-height:1.1;letter-spacing:-.015em;text-wrap:balance}
html[dir="rtl"] h1{font-weight:700;line-height:1.45;letter-spacing:0;font-size:clamp(32px,4vw,50px)}
.byline{margin:0;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;gap:8px 16px;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:14px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .byline{font-size:16px}
.cats{margin:0;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13.5px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .cats{font-size:15.5px}
.other{display:inline-flex;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;padding:3px 13px;font-size:14px;color:var(--ink);background:var(--panel)}
.other[lang="ar"]{font-size:15px}
.mini{margin:0;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:6px}
.mini canvas{display:block;width:100%;aspect-ratio:2/1;max-width:100%;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:3px}
.mini figcaption{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute);text-align:center}
html[dir="rtl"] .mini figcaption{font-size:15px}

.prose{max-width:700px;margin:0 auto;padding-block:20px 50px;font-size:19px;line-height:1.75}
html[dir="rtl"] .prose{font-size:21px;line-height:2}
.prose p{margin:0 0 1.1em}
.prose a{text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:var(--line);text-underline-offset:4px}
.prose a:hover{text-decoration-color:var(--ink)}
.prose strong,.prose b{font-weight:700}
.prose h2,.prose h3,.prose h4{font-family:var(--display);font-weight:400;line-height:1.3;text-wrap:balance;margin:1.8em 0 .6em}
html[dir="rtl"] .prose :is(h2,h3,h4){font-weight:700;line-height:1.6}
.prose h2{font-size:1.45em;padding-top:.6em;border-top:1px solid var(--line)}
.prose h3{font-size:1.2em}
.prose blockquote{margin:1.6em 0;padding-inline-start:22px;border-inline-start:2px solid var(--line);color:var(--mute)}
.prose img{border-radius:2px}
.prose figure,.prose .wp-caption{margin:1.8em 0;max-width:100%}
.prose figcaption,.prose .wp-caption-text{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute);margin-top:6px}
.prose .feat{margin:0 0 1.8em}
.prose ul,.prose ol{padding-inline-start:1.4em}
.prose table{border-collapse:collapse;font-size:.85em;display:block;overflow-x:auto;max-width:100%}
.prose th,.prose td{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);padding:6px 10px;text-align:start}
.prose iframe,.prose video{max-width:100%}
.prose pre{overflow-x:auto;direction:ltr;text-align:left;font-family:var(--mono);font-size:.8em;background:var(--panel);padding:12px 14px;border:1px solid var(--line)}
sup.fn{line-height:0;font-size:inherit;vertical-align:baseline}
sup.fn a{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:11px;position:relative;top:-.6em;padding:0 2px;text-decoration:none}
.prose p:has(> .fn-back:first-child){font-size:15px;line-height:1.55;color:var(--mute);margin:0;padding:4px 0 4px 2.2em;text-indent:-1.6em;direction:ltr;text-align:left;font-family:var(--en-text)}
.prose .fn-back{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;text-decoration:none;display:inline-block;min-width:1.6em;text-indent:0}
.prose .fn-back::after{content:"."}
.prose p:has(> .fn-back:target){background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink)}

.pn{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:1px;background:var(--line);border:1px solid var(--line);max-width:900px;margin:0 auto}
.pn-cell{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:6px;padding:18px 20px 20px;background:var(--paper)}
.pn-next{text-align:end;align-items:flex-end}
.pn-k{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:12.5px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .pn-k{font-size:15px}
.pn-t{font-size:19px;line-height:1.35;text-wrap:balance}
html[dir="rtl"] .pn-t{font-size:19px;line-height:1.6;font-weight:700}
.more-sec{padding-block:40px 10px}
.mlist{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));gap:0 36px}
.mlist li{border-top:2px solid var(--ink);padding-top:10px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:6px}
.mlist h3{margin:0;font-weight:400;font-size:19px;line-height:1.35;text-wrap:balance}
html[dir="rtl"] .mlist h3{font-size:20px;line-height:1.6;font-weight:700}

/* ---------- lists ---------- */
.phead{border-top:1px solid var(--line);padding-block:36px 26px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:12px}
.phead > *{max-width:860px}
.kicker{margin:0;display:flex;gap:4px 10px;flex-wrap:wrap;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .kicker{font-size:15px}
.phead-desc{color:var(--mute)}
.plist{list-style:none;margin:0 0 40px;padding:0;border-top:1px solid var(--line)}
.plist li{display:grid;grid-template-columns:200px minmax(0,1fr);gap:20px;align-items:baseline;padding:20px 0;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}
.plist h2{margin:0;font-family:var(--display);font-weight:400;font-size:24px;line-height:1.3;text-wrap:balance}
html[dir="rtl"] .plist h2{font-weight:700;font-size:25px;line-height:1.55}
.plist h2 [lang="ar"]{font-family:var(--ar-display)}
.plist p{margin:6px 0 0;color:var(--mute);font-size:16px;line-height:1.6;max-width:70ch}
html[dir="rtl"] .plist p{font-size:17.5px;line-height:1.85}
.empty{color:var(--mute);padding-block:20px 60px}
.navigation.pagination{margin:0 0 60px}
.nav-links{display:flex;gap:8px;flex-wrap:wrap}
.page-numbers{display:inline-flex;min-width:36px;justify-content:center;padding:4px 12px;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:14px;color:var(--mute)}
.page-numbers.current{background:var(--line);color:var(--ink)}

.sform{display:flex;gap:6px;align-items:center}
.sform input{font:inherit;font-size:14px;color:var(--ink);background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;padding:5px 14px;width:220px;max-width:100%;min-width:0}
.sform button,.comment-form input[type="submit"]{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:14px;color:var(--ink);background:var(--line);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;padding:5px 14px;cursor:pointer}

/* ---------- comments ---------- */
.cwrap{max-width:700px;margin:0 auto;padding-block:30px 50px}
.clist{list-style:none;margin:0 0 24px;padding:0}
.clist .children{list-style:none;padding-inline-start:24px;border-inline-start:1px solid var(--line)}
.clist .comment-body{padding:14px 0;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}
.clist .comment-meta{font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute);display:flex;gap:4px 12px;flex-wrap:wrap}
.clist .says{display:none}
.clist .fn{font-style:normal;color:var(--ink)}
.comment-respond h3{font-family:var(--display);font-weight:400;font-size:24px;margin:0 0 10px}
.comment-form{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:10px;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:14px;color:var(--mute)}
.comment-form p{margin:0}
.comment-form label{display:block;margin-bottom:4px}
.comment-form input[type="text"],.comment-form input[type="email"],.comment-form input[type="url"],.comment-form textarea{width:100%;font:inherit;font-size:15px;color:var(--ink);background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:3px;padding:8px 10px}
.comment-form-cookies-consent{display:flex;gap:8px;align-items:baseline}
.comment-form-cookies-consent label{display:inline}

/* ---------- footer ---------- */
.foot{border-top:1px solid var(--line);margin-top:40px;padding-block:20px 50px;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:12px;flex-wrap:wrap;font-family:var(--ui);font-size:13px;color:var(--mute)}
html[dir="rtl"] .foot{font-size:15px}

@media (max-width:900px){
  .latest,.mlist{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:24px}
  .route{grid-template-columns:repeat(3,minmax(0,1fr));row-gap:26px}
  .route::before{display:none}
  .eras{grid-template-columns:repeat(2,minmax(0,1fr))}
  .era:last-child:nth-child(3n+1){grid-column:auto}
  .era:last-child:nth-child(odd){grid-column:1/-1}
  .ahead{grid-template-columns:1fr}
}
@media (max-width:560px){
  .tl canvas{height:360px}
  .tl-cap{grid-template-columns:1fr}
  .tl-cap .meta{text-align:start}
  .route{grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr}
  .eras{grid-template-columns:1fr}
  .brand .name{font-size:36px}
  .plist li{grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:4px}
  .pn{grid-template-columns:1fr}
  .pn-next{text-align:start;align-items:flex-start}
  .prose{font-size:18px}
  html[dir="rtl"] .prose{font-size:19px}
  .foot{flex-direction:column;align-items:flex-start}
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){html{scroll-behavior:auto}a{transition:none}}