The book documents the buildings and crafts of this era and analyses them within the framework of the political, economic, and social information available through primary sources from the period in a way that is both intelligent and accessible. It considers the settlements as part of a larger-connected network of cities, towns and villages and focuses both on how the buildings provided innovative solutions to the demanding climate and yet incorporated new decorative and functional ideas.
Topics are extensively and richly illustrated with colored photographs of the buildings as they are now, black and white and color historic photographs from archival and museum collections, line drawings, and computer-generated reconstructions.
The book is therefore attractive to a number of audiences, including those who live in or travel to the Gulf as well as people with an interest in Arab and Islamic design, culture and society, vernacular architecture, and post-colonial approaches to colonial history.
Ch. 1 Shifting Sands: An Archaeological History of the Gulf 1
Ch. 2 Tribes, Trade and Empire: The Arabian Gulf in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries 21
Ch. 3 Mosques, Houses, Markets and Forts: Building Types in the Gulf 43
Ch. 4 Beach Stone and Palm Frond: Style and Material 77
Ch. 5 The Upper Gulf: Bridge Between Empires 103
Ch. 6 The Central Gulf: Of Pearls and Dates 125
Ch. 7 The Lower Gulf: A Varied Land 155
Ch. 8 Oman: Gateway to the Gulf 199
Epilogue 231
Overview