Western Arabia in the Leiden Collections. Traces of a Colourful Past
Book Description
This fascinating exploration reveals how Dutch scholars and diplomats in the late 1800s and early 1900s documented the rich spiritual and cultural life of Western Arabia during a pivotal moment in history. Through their careful collection of artifacts, manuscripts, and observations from Jeddah, Mecca, and Medina, these visitors sought to preserve what they perceived as authentic expressions of Islamic culture and religious practice.
The book draws from remarkable collections now housed at Leiden's Museum of Ethnology and University Libraries, offering readers a window into the vibrant society that flourished in Arabia's holy cities. Central to this story is the Dutch consulate in Jeddah, which served as a hub for overseeing the annual pilgrimage journeys of Indonesian Muslims to Mecca. Among the notable figures featured is Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, a prominent Islamic scholar whose 1884-1885 journey to Arabia contributed significantly to Western understanding of Islamic traditions.
Working alongside local Muslim communities, these Dutch collectors assembled extensive documentation of religious customs, daily life, and material culture during a time when Arabia stood at the crossroads between tradition and emerging modernity. For readers interested in the intersection of spirituality, cultural preservation, and cross-cultural understanding, this work illuminates how different traditions can bridge divides and create lasting connections across continents and centuries.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~5 hours)
📄 Length: 192 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious life and customs
- ✓ Explore Material culture
- ✓ Explore Saudi arabia, social life and customs
- ✓ Explore Ethnological museums and collections
- ✓ Explore Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden. Bibliotheek
- ✓ Explore Manuscripts
- ✓ Explore Arabic Manuscripts
- ✓ Explore Ethnology
