For thousands of years, the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has played an important role in the history of the Middle East. It was a major center of the spice trade, and its tribes were instrumental in the spread of Islam. Then in 1938, oil was discovered here and in less than 50 years the province became the site of the world's largest oil reserve and one of the leading exporters of petroleum products. In this beautifully illustrated book, historian William Facey traces the history of this fascinating region of the world, from the dawn of civilization to the present day. His text is accompanied by specially commissioned photographs and maps, and is the most comprehensive work on the Eastern Province to date.