Mummy board and inner coffin for Nes-pauti-taui
21st Dyn, c. 1000 BC; excavated in 1891
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Egyptian Collection
Vienna, Austria
Early tourists were fascinated by ancient Egypt and went to all lengths to take home something of what remained of its fabled civilisation, including entire mummies! Indeed, eventually, there was such demand that locals started to make fake mummies in order to meet it.
4-3th century BC; brought to Vienna by Edward Glaser in 1882–1894
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Egyptian Collection
Vienna, Austria
Other regions and antiquities in the Arab and Ottoman world beyond the lands of Egypt also attracted the interest of 19th-century travellers on occasion. Between 1882 and 1888, the Austrian scholar Edward Glaser ventured to Southern Arabia several times to explore ancient scripts. The objects he collected while there were focused on his interests, and many are now in European museums.
12th century
Governorate of Nabatiyya, Lebanon
The romantic ruins of the medieval-period Beaufort Castle in the Nabatieh region of southern Lebanon has attracted consistent streams of tourists over the centuries, not least due to its Crusader connections. The fortress has survived earthquakes as well as warfare.
AD 3rd century
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities
Vienna, Austria
Palmyra had fascinated Europeans since its initial discovery in the late 17th century. By the 19th century, many travellers who took up the challenge to reach it were eager to secure a memento from among its ruins, an activity that went unchallenged at the time. This relief was obtained by Dr James Samson, an Austrian diplomat active in the Ottoman Empire.
Astronomical instrument: Qiblanuma
Hegira 1151 / AD 1738–9
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey
Foreign travellers as well as those living in the region relied on navigational skills, whether by observing the movement of the stars or using instruments like this qibla compass. This particular instrument is designed to help pilgrims find their way to Mecca from a wide range of start points.
1780
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Coin Cabinet
Vienna, Austria
An essential prerequisite for the 19th-century traveller was access to sufficient funds throughout the trip. Those on the road could be confident that the Maria Theresia Taler was widely accepted everywhere.
Fragment of an interior Kiswa Cover for the Ka'ba in Makkah
Hegira late 12th – early 13th century / AD late 18th – early 19th century
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation / Sharjah Museums Authority
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
Religious tourists often returned with souvenirs from the spiritual and holy sites they had visited. Within the Muslim world during the Ottoman era, textile fragments like this one were prized mementos among pilgrims visiting the Holy Cities of Mecca (Makkah) and Medina (Madinah).
Musée Public National des Arts et Traditions Populaires
Algiers, Algeria
In the later 19th century, the traditional workshops in the suqs of the Arab and Ottoman world began to produce curios and mementos specifically aimed at the tourist market. This vase, made either in Egypt or Syria, recalls the artistic style of the Mamluks, who had ruled the region between the 13th and early 16th centuries.
Jordan Museum for Costumes and Jewellery, Department of Antiquities
Amman, Jordan
The Arabic coffee pot has remained a popular souvenir from the Arab and Ottoman world to this day. A symbol of generosity and hospitality, it is an implement found most typically among the Bedouin tribes of Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and the Arabian Peninsula.
View of Istanbul: the Valide Sultan Mosque and the port
19th century
National Library of France
Paris, France
Most travellers to the East passed through Constantinople on their way to destinations farther afield. Most were keen to obtain souvenir photographs from there. Pascal Sébah opened a photographic studio in Constantinople in 1857, and such was his success that by 1873, he had opened a branch in Cairo as well.
19th century
National Library of France
Paris, France
With the gradual introduction of railway systems throughout the Middle East and North Africa from the mid-19th century onwards, the progress of travellers in the region was revolutionised and helped set the scene for the onset of modern tourism.
19th century
Musée Public National des Antiquités
Algiers, Algeria
In the 19th century, the weaving and carpet industries flourished in the Middle East. Carpets and rugs from regions of the Ottoman Empire and Iran were often brought home by travellers, and they were most coveted possessions.
19th century
Cerralbo Museum
Madrid, Spain
Many of the traditional crafts found in the local suqs of the Middle East in the 19th century were now made specifically for foreign visitors. Delicately inlaid items of furniture – the most famous from Syria – were often taken home to serve as centrepieces in carefully arranged Orientalist “smoking rooms” or parlours.
19th century
Cerralbo Museum
Madrid, Spain
The Cerralbo family of Spain was among the many privileged families of Europe that set off to discover the “Orient” during the 19th century. The Marquis of Cerralbo visited Istanbul with his family in 1889, collecting a fascinating array of folkloristic souvenirs, including this waistcoat, today on show at Museum Cerralbo in Madrid.
19th century
Batha Museum
Fez , Morocco
Traditional arts and crafts attracted many foreign buyers, who often built up entire collections of them. Some of these later formed the basis for European museum collections. Moroccan ceramics, and those from Ottoman İznik, Kütahya and Çanakkale, were particularly sought after.
19th century
Weaponry Museum
Doha, Qatar
When travelling in the Middle East and North Africa, a friendly reception was not always guaranteed as robbers might be lurking along the wayside in remote areas or wild animals might attack the camp at night. As a result, weapons were an essential part of the traveller’s equipment. Ironically though, on occasion, safe passage was guaranteed by gifting or handing over the weapons to the perpetrators.
Silverware used on the Orient Express
19th century
Istanbul Railway Museum
Istanbul, Turkey
Wealthy Europeans insisted on travelling in style and comfort wherever they went. Silver tableware sets such as this one, together with fine china, crystal glassware, tablecloths, carpets and even furniture, often accompanied a party and would be set up every day, even in a tent, while navigating the desert.
Dala’il al-Khayrat (Guidelines to Blessings) by Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Jazuli)
Hegira 13th century / AD 19th century
Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation /Sharjah Museums Authority
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)
Muslim travellers and pilgrims, particularly when journeying to the Holy sites of Mecca and Medina, might carry some instructive reading with them. The Dala’il al Khairat was a popular book of prayer that also prepares the reader spiritually and practically for visiting Islam’s most sacred locations.
Description de L'Egypte: Antiquités Planches
1809–1829
Istanbul Archaeological Museums
Istanbul, Turkey
Scholars, scientists, archaeologists, explorers, adventurers and tourists all tended to write detailed diaries, logbooks and travelogues while journeying to the Ottoman Empire and North Africa. Publications such as this one about Egypt soon led to a European craze for travelling, inspiring many to set out and see the marvels described for themselves and often accompanied by the books that had inspired them.
Description de L'Egypte: Antiquités Planches
1809–1829
Istanbul Archaeological Museums
Istanbul, Turkey