The Syrian desert : caravans, travel and exploration / by Christina Phelps Grant. With sixteen plates and four maps.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 318-336) and index.

CHAPTER I. THE SYRIAN DESERT AND ITS INHABITANTS : 1. PROLOGUE - 2. GEOGRAPHY OF THE SYRIAN DESERT - 3. BEDUIN TRIBES, THEIR ORIGINS AND ORGANIZATION -- CHAPTER II. CHANNELS OF ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL TRADE : 1. SYRIAN DESERT ROUTES - 2. THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CARAVAN TRAVEL BETWEEN SYRIA AND MESOPOTAMIA -- CHAPTER III. TRAVELLERS AND EXPLORERS OF THE SYRIAN DESERT : 1. EARLY TRAVELLERS - 2. FOUR GREAT CITIES OF SYRIA AND MESOPOTAMIA: DAMAS- CUS, ALEPPO, BAGHDAD AND BASRA - 3. TRAVELLERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, AND EXPLORERS OF THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIETH CENTURIES -- CHAPTER IV. THE MERCHANT CARAVANS : INTRODUCTORY -1. THE GREAT CARAVANS OF MECCA IN THE SEVENTH CENTURY - 2. THE ANNUAL CARAVANS WHICH TRADED BETWEEN SYRIA AND MESOPOTAMIA FROM THE SIXTEENTH TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURIES – 3. DESERT COMMERCE AND CARAVAN TRADE - 4. TOLLS, CUSTOMS DUES AND THE EXACTIONS OF THE BEDUIN - 5. STATUS OF MERCHANT CARAVANS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY – CHAPTER V. EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY TRAVEL ACROSS THE DESERT : 1. THE FOUR PRINCIPAL ROUTES AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE TRAVELLER - 2. METHODS AND MANNER OF TRANSPORT ACROSS THE DESERT -- CHAPTER VI. PRIVATE CARAVANS OF THE GREAT DESERT ROUTE : 1. ROUTINE OF TRAVEL AND DAILY INCIDENTS - 2. DESERT LANDMARKS, AND ITINERARY OF THE ROUTE - 3. DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF THE DESERT CROSSING. ADVICE TO TRAVELLERS -- CHAPTER VII. THE GREAT "HAJJ" CARAVANS : 1. THE ISLAMIC PILGRIMAGE - 2. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE PILGRIM CARAVANS -- CHAPTER VIII. ELEVEN CENTURIES OF POSTAL SERVICE : 1. THE "BERID" OF THE ABBASID AND MAMLUK PERIODS - 2. THE "TATARS" OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, AND THE PIGEON POST - 3. THE BRITISH DROMEDARY POST – CHAPTER IX. THE ERA OF MECHANICAL TRANSPORT : 1. THE EUPHRATES EXPEDITION - 2. RAILWAY PLANS AND PROJECTS - 3. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MOTOR TRANSPORT - 4. THE AIR SERVICES - 5. THE DESERT PIPE-LINES OF THE IRAQ PETROLEUM COMPANY – APPENDICES : APPENDIX I. ARABIC TRANSLITERATION - APPENDIX II. GLOSSARY OF ARABIC WORDS AND NAMES - APPENDIX III. GEOGRAPHICAL GLOSSARY - APPENDIX IV. TABLE OF MONEYS AND EXCHANGE - APPENDIX V. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY : 1. USEFUL GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND ENCYCLOPAEDIAS - 2. HISTORIES OF EXPLORATION AND TRAVEL COLLECTIONS – 3. MAPS - 4. PRIMARY SOURCES - 5. SECONDARY SOURCES - 6. PERIODICAL MATERIAL ; A. MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS - B. NEWSPAPERS - APPENDIX VI. NOTES ON SOURCES -- MAPS : 1. OROGRAPHICAL SKETCH-MAP - 2. RENNELL'S MAP OF THE SYRIAN DESERT, DATED 1809, PUBLISHED 1831 - 3. CARAVAN, COURIER AND PILGRIM ROUTES - 4. RAILWAY AND MOTOR ROUTES, AND PIPE LINES - GRAPH TO ILLUSTRATE CARAVAN TRAVEL BETWEEN SYRIA AND MESOPOTAMIA.