JEDDAH, 10 March 2003 — An exhibition of the treasures of Arabia from a historical and geographical perspective in London is proving a big draw.
“Mapping the Treasures of Arabia,” at the Brunei Gallery in London from Jan. 28 to March 21, looks at the changing face over the last 500 years of the Arabian Peninsula through maps, photographs and engravings, said organizer Marian Bukhari.
The maps range from some of the earliest woodcuts of the late 15th century AD to lithographs from the end of the 19th century. Engravings show 18th and 19th century views of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and the pilgrimage as well as engravings illustrating desert life scenes from the same period.
Contemporary photographs of sites shown in the engravings are displayed alongside them. Many of these photos are by Turkish photographer Faruk Aksoy combined by Peter Sanders.
During her short visit to Jeddah, Bukhari told Arab News that collecting, conserving and exhibiting the early works of the Arabian Peninsula is a way to observe the richness of Arabian civilization.
“This superb presentation with its rare collective Arabian maps and photographs has astonished visitors and taught them about the little-known early history of this land,” she said.
It took her three months to prepare the exhibition, which is held for the first time in the West.
“The maps and engravings of Makkah and Madinah with those of life in the desert illustrate knowledge about Arabia from outside. Supporting these are views from inside Arabia, pictures of monuments giving a glimpse of the historical infrastructure supporting the pilgrimage,” she said.
One of the key subjects of the exhibition is an understanding of the Arabian Peninsula from a historical and geographical perspective. In antiquity, the Arabian Peninsula was the bridge between Asia, Africa and Europe, with desert trade routes for goods such as spices, frankincense and myrrh. More recently the Haj has reinforced these routes through the region, with Makkah and Madinah obviously bringing the focus to Saudi Arabia.
Aksoy expressed his hope that London would enjoy his photographs of Makkah and Madinah.
“It was a great chance for me to show my rare photographs of the holy places,” he said.
The exhibition illustrates the development of cartography of the Arabian Peninsula over this period by Europeans as the region became more accessible and important to them, with knowledge acquired by European mapmakers coming from antiquity, trade and then exploration.
The exhibition, sponsored by Saudi Aramco, is presented in association with the London Middle East Institute and the Department of Art and Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African Studies.
