Traditional motifs of Hadramout

What is this book about?

The abundance and harmonious combination of art styles in the rich heritage of motifs and visual arts in the Hadramout Region in Southern Yemen are the outcomes of a long history of civilization, trade, and immigration. 

This book is the first to uncover the remaining 30 centuries-old of traditional motifs and visual arts found in artifacts, buildings, and in the daily activities of the locals that represent the rich cultural identity of the Hadramis —the people of Hadramout. This book features artifacts and traditions kept within the community for a long time due to their cultural sensitivity, especially the female body decoration. Now, for the first time, they will be shared with the public.

Why is this book important?

The civil war that broke off in Yemen in 2015 until at present, destroyed many heritage sites and postponed projects and studies that aim to conserve the cultural landmarks. The lawlessness on artifact ownership caused some of them to be sold in the black market or smuggled out of the country. Moreover, most of the verbal sources are the elderly who kept the tradition among themselves. With this, we lost thousands of undocumented motifs in the region. 

The Book in numbers

8 years of planning and documentation, 420 pages, 375 photos by 13 photographers, including myself, and drawings by 4 illustrators. It is written in 2 Languages (English and Arabic), 35 verbal resources from local experts and artists, and 58 books resources.

Thank you for your interest..