Content Warning: Lengthy discussion of misogyny and familial death. Brief discussion of colonization and stereotypes.
In this episode, I tell the myth: "The Beduin's Gazelle" from the Arabian peninsula. The origin of the story is completely unknown, mostly due to issues in researching the tale. Frances Temple wrote a book that has been featured in the American school system by the same name, which covers all search results. The myth can be analyzed in a multitude of ways, somewhat because of this vague origin. The people of the Arabian peninsula are known for their obscure mythology and lack of a major creation myth.
We'll explore the complicated history of pre-Islamic Arabia, comparing the different systems of nomadism, sedentary agricultural society, and trading centers to uncover the many influences that affected the people of the Arabian Peninsula. Colonization events, technological advances, and religious conversion coincide to eventually bring about the religion of Islam, the rise of the Caliphate, and the unification of the peninsula. Our recorded history from the region is mostly post-Islamic, so the sources I draw from to tell the pre-Islamic history derive from external civilizations and anachronistic references, as is so often the case with ancient history.
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