{"product_id":"geology-mesopotamia-its-borderlands-z2nvk5uv","title":"Geology of Mesopotamia and its Borderlands.","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn excellent copy of one of the earliest geological studies of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), Iran, Armenia and the Arabian Peninsula.\u003c\/strong\u003e In addition to describing the geological history of the region, it identifies contemporary sources of oil and mineral wealth and suggests sites for exploration. \u003cstrong\u003eThis is particularly prescient in regard to “the scattered localities around the shores of the Persian Gulf”, which are seen to be “most favourably placed for commercial development” (p.73).\u003c\/strong\u003e These sites, however, are deemed “the least hopeful of yielding oil in quantities of commercial importance” (ibid.), an assertion that would be proven wrong by the middle of the twentieth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pioneering text was compiled by the Naval Intelligence Division of the British Admiralty, as part of their effort to create a series of handbooks on the countries and regions involved in the First World War. This series included several handbooks on the Middle East, issued for the use of British officials during and after the conflict. \u003cstrong\u003eMost went through two editions: the first marked ‘For Official Use Only’ and printed in small runs; the second issued publicly by H.M.S.O.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eThe present handbook is the second (public) issue.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScarce in commerce, with just one copy of this edition in auction records.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Maggs Bros.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67974275596597,"sku":"264532","price":2750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/store.maggs.com\/products\/geology-mesopotamia-its-borderlands-z2nvk5uv","provider":"Maggs Bros.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}