Acknowledgements
This book is the result of extensive field research in Yemen on the human response to water scarcity. Beginning in 1984, my graduate studies focused on ancient irrigation systems on the fringes of the desert and were carried out under the umbrella of the German Archaeological Institute (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, DAI), Ṣanʿāʾ Branch. In 1992, I became a member of the Canadian Archaeological Mission of the Royal Ontario Museum (CAMROM), Toronto, and shifted my interests to medieval Islamic times. Between 2001 and 2011, I directed my own field projects, which addressed both irrigated agriculture and issues of urban water management during medieval and premodern times. The political situation in Yemen deteriorated rapidly in 2011, and fieldwork has not been possible since then.
A field project is not usually an individual endeavour. I was a member of a team when working at the German Archaeological Institute and when working with the Canadian Archaeological Mission and benefited from the expertise of my fellow team members. As a project director, I put together my own teams, which included both specialists and students of archaeology, anthropology, Arabic and Islamic studies, history, geography, and civil engineering. They all contributed to the outcome of the work. Therefore, some sections of this book are written in the first-person plural; writing in the first-person singular would simply give a false impression.
Logistical support was provided by the German Archaeological Institute (Ṣanʿāʾ Branch), under the directorship of Burkhard Vogt and Iris Gerlach, and by the American Institute for Yemeni Studies (Ṣanʿāʾ), under the directorship of Christopher Edens. I worked in Yemen under a licence from the General Organization of Antiquities and Museums (GOAM, Ṣanʿāʾ), and my colleagues from GOAM helped immensely by ensuring smooth operations in the field, besides sharing insights and local contacts. Without the support of Aḥmad al-Maṣʿabī, parts of this study would not have been possible.
Fieldwork requires substantial funding. I wish to express my gratitude for generous financial assistance to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the American Institute for Yemeni Studies, the Social Fund for Development (Ṣanʿāʾ), Shaykh Khālid Buqshān (Jedda, Saudi Arabia), the Royal Ontario Museum Foundation, and Ryerson University (Toronto). Publication of this book was supported by the Royal Ontario Museum Yemen Program Fund and by the Office of the Dean of Arts at Ryerson University. I sincerely thank Eileen Reilley for preparing the maps, drawings, and photographs. Special thanks are due to Natalie Rose, who was a wonderful and thorough copyeditor.
Among those who have contributed greatly to the content of this book, I am particularly grateful to Andrea Moritz (Berlin) and Hanne Schönig (Halle), who have read either the entire manuscript or major parts of it. I have benefited enormously from discussions with them. Abdulrahman al-Eryani (Taʿizz and Helsinki) opened my eyes to water-management concerns that I had not seen myself. Important questions would have remained unanswered without the local informants, who generously shared their knowledge with us. Their names are cited in the individual chapters. My deepest appreciation goes to Edward J. Keall, director of CAMROM, who affirmed the validity of my research interests by assigning me responsibility in his project. It was a great privilege to work in Yemen and experience the richness of the country’s heritage and the warm hospitality of its people.
The anonymous reviewer appointed by Brill gave valuable criticism and helpful comments, for which I am very grateful. I would like to offer my warmest thanks to Kathy van Vliet, Acquisitions Editor at Brill, and Ellen Girmscheid, the Production Editor, whose support was indispensable for bringing this book to fruition. Finally, I wish to thank Maribel Fierro (Madrid), M. Şükrü Hanioğlu (Princeton), Renata Holod (University of Pennsylvania), and Florian Schwarz (Vienna) for accepting this book in Brill’s series Handbook of Oriental Studies, Section 1: The Near and Middle East.