Old Weird Arabia: South Arabian Inscriptions and Medieval Islam

When the first Muslims came to Yemen, they came across thousands of ancient inscriptions, written centuries before by South Arabia’s pre-Islamic rulers. Medieval Muslims came to re-interpret these inscriptions to fit their own worldviews, from ancient warnings to memories of heroic deeds.

Imar Koutchoukali • September 15, 2021

Partitioning the Middle East: The Palestine-Lebanon Border in the Mandates period

The borders created by the colonial powers in the Middle East were not only lines drawn on a map, but also a physical and juridical reality. In this blog, Mattia Serra discusses the local consequences of the imposition of the Palestine-Lebanon border in the Mandates period.

Mattia Serra • April 15, 2021 • 1 comment

The Intriguing Messages of a Muslim Slave's Tombstone

Jelle Bruning taps a new source for the history of slavery among early Muslim communities and shows what funerary epigraphy can tell us about how ninth-century Muslims dealt with their deceased slaves.

Jelle Bruning • January 21, 2021 • 1 comment

Middle Eastern Manuscripts in the Digital World

Peter Webb discusses the shortcomings of studying printed editions of Arabic sources, and introduces a new Leiden initiative designed to help overcome the pitfalls: Mouse&Manuscript, a free online suite of lessons covering the essentials of how to read Middle Eastern manuscripts.

Peter Webb • January 07, 2021

Dutch Fire Diplomacy in Early Modern Istanbul

Like in any other metropole of the early modern world, city fires formed an imminent danger in Ottoman Istanbul. The diplomatic representatives of the Netherlands reported dozens of these fire incidents from their Dutch Palace in the Galata district, not only as spectators but also as victims.

Burak Fıçı • October 29, 2020 • 2 comments

Dietary Laws and the Birth of Islam

Foodways are an integral part of identity, and the proto-Muslim community was no exception. Based on Quranic proclamations on dietary laws, Mehdy Shaddel shows that among the early opponents of Islam there probably were “gentile” adherents of “Jewish” food laws.

Mehdy Shaddel • October 14, 2020 • 1 comment

Christian Missions and Humanitarianism in the Middle East, from 1850 to 1950

Christian missions have played a significant role in humanitarian aid in the Middle East. The 1850s to the 1950s saw a significant change in their orientation: from pietist movements to social service-centred institutions.

Karène Sanchez Summerer and Inger Marie Okkenhaug • October 01, 2020

Playing the CyberSultan: Videogames and the Islamic Empire

Video games like the "Crusader Kings" and "Civilization" franchises are laboratories for experiencing complex and nuanced historical imaginaries. But even the most well-researched tend to perpetuate certain stereotypes about Islam and the Middle East...

Edmund Hayes • August 21, 2020

Politics of Heritage and Heritage of Politics: The Case of the Hagia Sophia

The conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque is nothing unusual for those who have been closely monitoring Turkey. Still, the knotted web of political conflicts and identity issues surrounding discussions of its role as heritage bespeaks the need to re-visit the concept of heritage itself.

Didem Yerli • July 27, 2020

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