A fascinating photographic survey of Iraq with an important final section on Saudi Arabia. This scarce second edition is structured slightly differently to the first and includes a new three page section on the Imam Husayn Shrine at Karbala.
It is undoubtedly the best photographic record of Iraq published during the First World War, featuring principal Sheikhs, important architecture and beautiful views of the country, from cityscapes of Baghdad to the verdant creeks at Basra. Several events are also captured, such as the Basra Spring Races, 1918 and the Armistice celebrations at Baghdad.
The final section is entitled: “A Tour through Central Arabia. The following pictures were taken by a British Officer touring through Central Arabia with an escort of Arabs.” This is probably the first photographic publication concerning Philby’s mission to Ibn Saud in Riyadh in 1917.
In company with Col. F. Cunliffe Owen, Philby left Baghdad on the 29th October and stopped in Basra, where he bought a camera, and all the photographic paraphernalia required for developing his own film. He pressed on for Riyadh, arriving on the 30th November, where he spent several days in diplomatic discussion, before continuing his journey to Jedda.
Badr El-Hage, pp86-115; not in Macro.
