Liban

1930 · 151871 — Beirut: Imp. Jeanne D'Arc 1930. A scarce handbook of French colonial rule in the Middle East First edition first impression of this scarce aide-mémoire compiled by the French High Commission for colonial administrators in its Syrian and Lebanese mandates. Copies appear in just eight institutions five French on WorldCat and in the Qatar National Library. The work opens with information on the costume character finances and nomadic patterns of different peoples followed by sections offering detailed discussion of tribes grouped into regions such as Damascus and its environs Alleppo Deir ez Zor and the Djebel Druze. To assist French colonial officials the work outlines the leadership and intertribal relations of each group while the map depicts where tribes are expected to be in winter and summer according to their nomadic patterns. With the size of each tribe's name on the map corresponding to their importance colonial officials could see at a glance how seasonal changes would impact French governance. The fluidity of nomadic movements across the boundaries of the mandate highlights the arbitrary and theoretical nature of colonial territory and borders and the extent to which French imperial authority was "illegitimate and thus unstable" Khoury p. 4. This copy is intriguingly inscribed on the front free endpaper in French "De la part de votre tout dévoué Dictionnaire géographique Beyrouth 23-12-31 Clerris " "On behalf of your totally devoted Geographical Dictionary Beirut 23-12-31 Clerris " with another ownership inscription below. Octavo 225 x 150 mm. Folding map 500 x 578 mm unfolded in rear pocket. Contemporary black cloth-backed snakeskin boards. Rubbing and wear to extremities small split at foot of front inner hinge professionally strengthened with adhesive moderate foxing to top edge and contents folding map toned with crease to bottom right corner slightly affecting printed area map pocket well-preserved. A very good copy. Philip Shukry Khoury "Syria and the French Mandate: The Politics of Arab Nationalism 1920-1945" 2014 1987. hardcover