Beatrice Forbes Manz, Nomads in the Middle East

Nomadic herders of various shades have long been recognised for their contribution to Middle Eastern culture and are as ubiquitous in the Western imagination of the region as camels and caravanserais. These popular tropes bely many centuries of history in which nomads have shaped the linguistic, economic and political history of the region. This contribution is grudgingly acknowledged in the written histories, composed almost entirely by sedentary observers who often have biases and prejudice...