Yemen's City of Towers: Shibam and the Hadhramaut Valley

This episode takes you to the Wadi Hadhramaut, the heartland of ancient incense kingdoms and home to Shibam, the 16th-century 'Manhattan of the Desert.' Lucas and Luna explore how this unique city of mud-brick tower houses was built, why it survived for centuries, and what it reveals about Yemen's pre-Islamic and Islamic history. They discuss the role of the Hadhramaut in the frankincense trade, the rise of the Kathiri and Qu'aiti sultanates, and the devastating 1932 flood that nearly destroyed Shibam. The conversation also touches on British colonial influence in the region, the preservation challenges of the 20th century, and how Shibam became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A window into the architectural genius and resilience of Yemen's desert communities.

#Shibam #Hadhramaut #YemenHistory #MudBrickArchitecture #ManhattanOfTheDesert #WadiHadhramaut #KathiriSultanate #QuaitiSultanate #FrankincenseTrade #UNESCOWorldHeritage #ArabianPeninsula #AncientKingdoms #BritishEmpire #1932Flood #Sayun #Tarim #ArchitectureHistory #FexingoHistory

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