History of the Middle East

Information on "archives and library guides for researchers working on the Middle East, North Africa, and Islamicate societies."

This collection over 340 items on Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies includes classic works of literature, history, religion, politics, and law in their native languages. Most items are in Arabic; some are in Persian, Turkish, French, and English. Search the JMU Library Catalog for: "John Alden Williams"

Digitized English-language materials from Afghanistan, including books from late 19th C. and 20th C. issues of The Kabul Times.

"Certain resources of the ARIT Center libraries are accessible on-line through the Digital Library for International Research (DLIR), SALT Research, and Internet Archive."

Syrian culture, arts, history, and current affairs are illustrated through images and documents. Maintained by the Syrian Culture Center in Montreal.

"Offers free and open access to the rich cultural legacy of the Middle East and North Africa by bringing together collections from a wide range of cultural heritage institutions. Developed by an engineering team from CLIR and Stanford Libraries, the platform federates and makes accessible data about collections from around the world."

A well-organized website with links to primary source documents, most in English translation. Compiled by Paul Halsall at Fordham.

Links to many national library websites. National libraries are often responsible for digitizing collections related to the history of the nation.

Digital archive that focuses on Western interactions with the Middle East. Special focus on Egypt in 19th and 20th centuries. Hosted by Rice University.

Access information on 192 member countries. Links to news and publications on peacekeeping operations, human rights, development,

Established in 1944, this development institution provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries.

Supported by the United Nations, this portal gathers digitized primary sources of every type from worldwide repositories, including many national museums and libraries.

Google has digitized thousands of books and magazines and made them searchable. Use this advanced search interface for precise searching. You may be able to access the full text of books that are out of copyright. If an item is only available in "snippet view" or "limited preview," you may be able to obtain that item from our own collection or via Interlibrary Loan.

An effort to collect and digitize the first 60 years (1871-1930) of Afghanistan’s published cultural heritage. Very few titles are in English. Use with Internet Explorer.

Official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Back volumes are in process of digitization, with some searchable content available back to the 1950s and up to the mid-1970s, and links to browsable volumes since 1861. JMU has some volumes in print and/or on microform.

Independent Federal agency that provides economic assistance to foreign countries, with the foreign policy guidance of the Department of State.

From the Library of Congress. "This monumental collection portrays the Ottoman Empire during the reign of one of its last sultans, Abdul-Hamid II. The 1,819 photographs in 51 large-format albums date from about 1880 to 1893. They highlight the modernization of numerous aspects of the Ottoman Empire, featuring images of educational facilities and students; well-equipped army and navy personnel and facilities; technologically advanced lifesaving and fire fighting brigades; factories; mines; harbors; hospitals; and government buildings. Most of the places depicted are within the boundaries of modern-day Turkey, but buildings and sites in Iraq, Lebanon, Greece and other countries are also included."

A rich open-source image collection focusing on cities, sites, and buildings in the Muslim world. Curated by MIT Libraries.

A growing digital archive of newsreels created by the British Pathé company from the 1890s through the 1970s. These videos include areas such as historical events and documentaries as well as travelogues and contemporary coverage of culture.

"A variety of interactive tools and information to help you learn more about calligraphy in the Arab, Ottoman and Persian traditions."

Several thousand prints and photographs contained in works from the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century. From the NY Public Library.

This multifaceted tool places art works from the Metropolitan Museum's collection within geographical and chronological context. It has excellent thematic essays (background information) that cover the historical eras and cultures that produced the works of art (the primary sources), along with maps and key events from each place and time period.

"The Topkapı Palace in Istanbul was the official and primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years of their 600-year reign from 1465 to 1856."

Book list created via crowdsourcing. If JMU does not own the book you are interested in, you can request it through ILL.

Article written by professor Allen Webb, discussing use of Middle Eastern works in his literature classes. Brief introduction to a variety of recent works of fiction.

Published by Syracuse University Press, this is a series of Middle Eastern books translated into English from Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Kurdish, Urdu, and other languages. Click on a title for a description of the book. If not held at JMU, order through ILL.

Published by UT-Austin, series of translations into English from Middle Eastern languages. Click on a title for a description of the book. If not held at JMU, order through ILL.

Although concentrating on the Persian Gulf states, at this site you will find good maps and visual presentations of statistical information for the entire Middle East and North Africa. Maps cover, e.g., historical and current boundaries, information on natural resources, and religious and ethnic information. Hosted by Columbia University.

Access to maps from research libraries around the world. You may search a place and a time period to find high-resolution maps.

Published from 1936 to 1972, this influential magazine chronicled world events and brought stunning images of the world to American readers.

The Big Project gathers together links to news sources from around the world. This link will go to publications from the Middle East.

This AMIR blog posting pulls together links to open access newspapers and periodicals on the Mideast and Islam. Organized by country of interest or of publication.