Oriental Journeys
Guided and inspired by Ibn Battuta’s (d.1369) footsteps, in a series of conversations with international scholars and prominent practitioners, the Oriental Journeys Podcast aims to deliver intriguing, historically accurate, relatable, curiosity-provoking and well-researched episodes that open a portal into the world of the East for people who are curious about the past, contemplate the wonders of cities and hunger for the marvels of travelling.
Episodes
8 episodes
The Arabs: In Search of Identity and Solidarity in the Murky Centuries with Tim Mackintosh-Smith
The Arab world is enormously vast and diverse, in every imaginable way, and yet is deeply rooted in a lineage of shared values. Over three millennia, these evolving values have been transmitted from generation to generation, and traversed te...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:13:02
Kohl: A Cultural History of a Distinctive Fine Line with Zahra Hankir
Kohl is a generic term for a cosmetic eyeliner made using naturally-sourced materials, a pulverized powder which darkens the edges of the eyelids. A cosmetic with a long and captivating history, kohl has been widely used by men, women and ch...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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41:28
Hajj Mahmal: The Semiotics of Pilgrimage Carriage with Richard J. A. McGregor
A ‘Mahmal’ was an empty, richly decorated carriage, which was mounted on a camel and journeyed annually from Cairo to accompany the Hajj pilgrim caravan to Mecca. On his journey toward Mecca in year 1326, Ibn Battuta was lucky enough to witn...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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39:00
Mamluks II: The Sultanate of Slaves? With Doris Behrens-Abouseif
Inspired by Ibn Battuta observations from Cairo in the 14th century, in this episode we walk through Cairo at the time of the Mamluks (13th-16th CE) and reach across the ages to touch upon dazzling facets of the city, as well as the sultanat...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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25:59
Mamluks I: The Sultanate of Slaves? With Doris Behrens-Abouseif
Inspired by Ibn Battuta observations from Cairo in the 14th century, in this episode we walk through Cairo at the time of the Mamluks (13th-16th CE) and reach across the ages to touch upon dazzling facets of the city, as well as the sultanat...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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37:29
The Call of Caravan III: In Search of Ibn Battuta with Tim Mackintosh-Smith
In this episode we will explore Ibn Battuta's multiple motivations for stepping into 29 years of traveling and search to find out more about his multifaceted personality with Tim Mackintosh-Smith who has dedicated his life tracing Ibn Battut...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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31:08
The Call of Caravan II: In Search of Ibn Battuta with Tim Mackintosh-Smith
In this episode we will explore how the Travels of Ibn Battuta has been written and why the Travels is an important historic source with Tim Mackintosh-Smith who has dedicated his life tracing Ibn Battuta.Tim Mackintosh-Smith is ...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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35:11
The Call of Caravan I: In Search of Ibn Battuta with Tim Mackintosh-Smith
In the first episode we will explore Ibn Battuta's travelogue, and search to find out more about him and his travels with a guest who has dedicated his life tracing Ibn Battuta. Tim Mackintosh-Smith is a British, Oxford-ed...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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32:44
