[oman-l] Oman research

[MAHMOUD ABDULLATIF]

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From: 	oman-l-request@leb.net on behalf of Brian Begy and Brenda Gregoline
Sent: 	Thursday, January 30, 1997 10:22 AM
To: 	Oman-l
Subject: 	[oman-l] Oman research

        Hello all,
        I am a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at the University
of Chicago, focusing on the history of trade in the Arabian Gulf and the
Indian Ocean.  I am especially interested in the impact of technology on
the history of the Middle East and South Asia.  I am considering writing a
dissertation on the relationship between local traders and British steam
shipping companies such as the P & O and the British India Steam Navigation
Co. between 1880 and 1930.

        I am currently here in Bahrain on a J. William Fulbright fellowship
to improve my Arabic and seek out sources for my dissertation.  I am hoping
to find local documents that can complement the British records on the
history of the Gulf.  I have already found some very valuable business
letters from the 1910-1930 period.

        I am also interested in trading connections with East Africa, and
therefore, there seem to be important Omani aspects to my project.  As
distances are short in the Gulf, I am planning a trip to Muscat to survey
the available sources.

        Does anyone have any suggestions on where to begin on this matter?
While there is a documents center, does it have any local papers, or just
copies of British material?  Are there private libraries of papers which
researchers have used?

        Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

Brian Begy
bfbegy@midway.uchicago.edu



Try Ministry of National Heritage & Culture, tele 602555 fax 602735