Arabia and the Arabs

<p>Long before Muhammed preached the religion of Islam the inhabitants of his native Arabia had played an important role in world history as both merchants and warriors<br><em>Arabia and the Arabs</em> provides the only up-to-date one-volume survey of the region and its peoples from prehistory to the coming of Islam<br>Using a wide range of sources - inscriptions poetry histories and archaeological evidence - Robert Hoyland explores the main cultural areas of Arabia from ancient Sheba in the south to the deserts and oases of the north. He then examines the major themes of<br>*the economy<br>*society<br>*religion<br>*art architecture and artefacts<br>*language and literature<br>*Arabhood and Arabisation<br>The volume is illustrated with more than 50 photographs drawings and maps.</p>