Dionisius Agius, a reader in Arabic and the Medieval Mediterranean at the University of Leeds, has directed his expertise in linguistics and the writings of medieval geographers writing in Arabic to a study of seafaring in the Arabian/Persian Gulf and Oman. Drawing on a wide range of literary sources and more than ten years of fieldwork in the region, Agius has sought in this book “to establish an historical and linguistic link between the present traditional seagoing vessels and coastal boats of the Gulf and Oman, and those of the medieval Islamic period” (p. xv).

The first two chapters provide background information. Agius begins with a discussion of his methodology and fieldwork, including an extensive review of the literature on the maritime history of the Gulf as well as a description of the difficulties of collecting oral-history materials. Of particular significance is that Agius establishes the historical ties between Persian/Shi

ite “ethnic” groups and shipbuilding in the region. Chapter 2 is a fairly standard historical survey of the Gulf region from the 17th century through the 20th century based largely on Western sources. The focus here is on maritime activities such as international commerce, piracy, the slave trade, and the more localized fishing, pearling, and shipbuilding. In describing this maritime history, Agius identifies early usages of ship types, including the generic term “dhow.”

In the next four chapters, Agius turns to technical terminology, beginning with functional and generic terms for ships and boats and then discussing large oceangoing dhows; fishing and pearling dhows; and ships' boats, canoes, and rafts. This division generally follows local usage, although, as Agius explains, dhow is a term used “by English speakers to represent any Perso-Arab or Indian or east African vessel” (p. 33) while a variety of terms exist in the local lexica. In addition to function, vessels are identified by hull styles (double-ended or square-ended) rather than by sail configuration, as in the West. In describing each of the ships that he identifies, Agius follows this paradigm and then, in keeping with his goal, analyzes the linguistic origins of the name. So, for example, the baghla is a square-ended, oceangoing sailing ship with its name deriving from an Indian dhow called the pahala. I have, of course, greatly simplified Agius's explanation, reducing to one sentence some five pages (pp. 49–53) of text that add other details to distinguish a baghla from a bum and dozens of other vessels.

Chapter 7 is dedicated to dhow construction. Agius begins with a general description of historical methods—that is, either constructing the shell and then “ribbing” the inside or building the frame and then planking over it and whether ships are sewn or nailed, and tools. He then goes through the process of building a dhow (actually a bum), including preservation techniques and the launch ceremony. This is a very technical chapter that includes many Arabic terms, but Agius has included photos and diagrams that greatly assist the reader.

The final chapter provides an overview of the book, including a discussion of the evolution of technology and design transfers (mostly from Europe). Agius also addresses the matter of the link between medieval shipping and the modern varieties, admitting that there are only four terms that have carried through. Finally, Agius discusses the problems of establishing a taxonomy for Gulf and Omani ships, not the least of which is the fact that there is no consistency is the use of terminology: a baghla in Kuwait is called a ghanja in Oman, and a small baghla might be used for fishing and pearling and therefore confused with a large sambuq.

The book includes an appendix, with nine drawings of a bum with all technical parts identified. It is a very useful supplement to Chapter 7. There is also a glossary, which greatly helped when trying to keep all of the technical terms for ships and ship parts sorted out, and a bibliography.

This is an excellent addition to the literature on the maritime history of the western Indian Ocean region. It is a very technical book most suited to serious scholars of maritime history and to Gulf specialists interested in cultural history. Although Agius, by his own admission, did not succeed in establishing much of a link between medieval Arab shipbuilding and modern activities, his linguistic and ethnographic work does firmly establish the long-time inter-relationship among the peoples of Arabia, Iran, and India. Furthermore, the extensive catalogue of ship types and description of the shipbuilding process will preserve information threatened with extinction as the majestic dhows of yore are replaced by motor-driven fiberglass ships.