A varied and charming collection of 17 papers that bring something new about the people from many countries and backgrounds who travelled to, from and within Egypt and the Near East, either singly or as a group, and explored, observed and recorded, or stayed for a short period of time to improve their health or simply to enjoy the experience.
While some travellers kept a diary or journal that has survived until today, others did not. Their travels have to be extracted from the wide range of manuscript sources that are thankfully retained in libraries and archives, or which still remain with their descendants. Sometimes, the name of a traveller is only contained in a few words within a single piece of correspondence or journal entry, yet from such small beginnings and through detective work to link the chance meetings between travellers with a location, or news of a shared event, it is often possible to chart part of a traveller’s journey and bring to life a person who has long been forgotten. These minor characters and their travails often bring a new perspective to well-known places and events.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Sir John Young, High Commissioner for the Ionian Islands, and His Private Letter Book, 1856–57
• Chapter 2: Edward Lear in Gozo, March 1866
• Chapter 3: The Travels of G. A. Wallin and His Views on Western Influence in the Middle East
• Chapter 4: The Relative Contributions of William John Bankes and Charles Barry to the Early Plans of Gerasa/Jerash (Jordan): Evidence from the Bankes and Barry Archives
• Chapter 5: Jean-Jacques Rifaud’s Lithographs – His Drawings of Egyptian Archaeology, Natural History, Manners and Customs
• Chapter 6: Travelling Companions: Mohammed Ashgar, also known as John Bedair (1815–74)
• Chapter 7: An Innovative Antiquarian: Alexander Henry Rhind’s Excavations in Egypt and His Collection in the National Museums Scotland
• Chapter 8: From the Kremlin’s Walls to the Foot of the Pyramids: Early Muscovite Travellers in Egypt
• Chapter 9: Hieroglyphs from the North: Newcastle’s Early Travellers in Egypt and Their Correspondence with Jean-François Champollion
• Chapter 10: Amalia Sola Nizzoli (1805–45/49), Archaeologist ante litteram in Egypt and the Origins of the Third Nizzoli Collection
• Chapter 11: Artists and Painters in the ‘German House’ at Thebes, 1905–15
• Chapter 12: Raymond O’Shea and The Sand Kings of Oman as a Source for Trucial Coast History
• Chapter 13: Did the Elephants Ever Forget?
• Chapter 14: The Admiral’s Daughter
• Chapter 15: A Swiss Egyptologist on Her Majesty’s Service: Edouard Naville (1844–1926) in the Delta
• Chapter 16: Ulrich Jasper Seetzen
• Chapter 17: Every Traveller Needs a Compass