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A website dedicated to exhibiting 19th and 20th century photographs of the Middle East and North Africa

Jordan River

Mystery Shack on the Jordan River

November 4, 2016 by Norbert Schiller 1 Comment

I recently read In the Steps of the Master (1936), one of travel writer H.V. Morton’s books on the Holy Land. In the passage where he describes his visit to the baptism site on the Jordan River, Morton mentions a strange wooden shack built up on stilts alongside the riverbank. When Morton spotted the structure, he wandered around the property trying to determine the purpose for the shack. The writer then discovered an inscription above the bar revealing the proprietor as “Mr. N. Stomation” whom he finds sitting in a chair, completely oblivious to Morton’s presence on his property. Morton’s description of his discovery is detailed in his book as follows: “I was not prepared for the strange sight at the end of the road. On the river bank is an old café, or rest-house, mounted on stilts. The roof is made of Jordan reeds, and everything about it suggests that at any moment the narrow, inoffensive river might overflow and drive the few inhabitants to their boats. Under this frail [Read more...]

Posted in: Retrofocus Blog, Uncategorized Tagged: Baptism site, Jordan River, Mystery Shack

Exhibitions

Donkey and Mule Soldiers: The Unsung Heroes

Farouk and Narriman: Egypt’s Last Royal Romance

Alexandria 1882: The British Bombardment

Baron Empain Palace: Remembering Heliopolis’ Glorious Past

Chemin de Fer: The Beirut to Damascus Railroad

RetroFocus Blog

  • How to Uncurl Vintage Photographs
  • Gemmayzeh Before the Bombs: Memories of My Grandparents’ House
  • Siwa and Qara Oases in Watercolors and Photographs
  • Remembering the Jewish Festival of Light in Egypt
  • Lebanon’s Grand Hotel Sofar Given New Life On Canvas

Contact

Norbert Schiller
nschiller@photorientalist.org

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Recommended Websites

  • Abdul Hamid II Collection, Library of Congress
  • Afghan Box Camera Project
  • Arab Image Foundation
  • Art of the Photogravure
  • Cairo’s recollections, Samir Raafat
  • Egyptian Mirage
  • E.W. Blatchford Collection, American University of Beirut
  • K&J Jacobson, 19th Century Photography
  • l’Egypte d’Antan
  • Luminous-Lint
  • Matson (G. Eric and Edith) Photograph Collection, Library of Congress
  • Middle East Centre Archive, St. Anthony’s College
  • Rare books and Special Collection Digital Library, The American University in Cairo
  • Orientalist Photography
  • The Oriental Institute, The University of Chicago
  • Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA)

Recommended Blogs

Middle East Photograph Preservation Initiative

One Man’s Treasure

Useful Resources

Basic Principles of Archiving Photographs and Documents

Rare Book Photography and Introduction, Yale University

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