Gillian Grant Knihy

The photographs in this book were taken between 1860 and 1950, at a crucial period just before the ancient way of life in the region was swept away. The selection draws on all the known photographic collections, from the earliest travel photographers, through to the 1950s. These remarkable images are accompanied by historian William Facey s excellent text which places them in their historical context, plus detailed commentary on photographic techniques by photographic archivist Gillian Grant.

The period covered in this book (between 1900 and 1962) saw the Emirates emerging from independent Shaikdoms to unification as the United Arab Emirates and with this, the arrival of oil. This book presents an outstanding selection of images, most of which have never been published before. The photographs show the remarkable transformation of the region from small coastal settlements to the modern, bustling cities of today. William Facey's authoritative text places the photographs in their historical context, while Gillian Grant's study of the photographers and their techniques provides further illumination.