ARAB FALCONRY – History of a Way of Life was first published in 2002 and has remained a favourite ever since. Now translated into Arabic by Dr Said Salman Abu Athera, poet, academic and experienced falconer, this popular work is brought, not before time, to an Arabic-speaking audience by Medina Publishing. The updated version includes new photographs and a number of paintings by the author’s son, Mark Upton, a well-known and highly talented artist specialising in hawks, hounds and horses, and himself a dedicated falconer.
Delve into the mystique of the tradition of falconry in the Middle East. Since pre-Islamic times, Arabia has had a proud history of flying hawks, including sakers, lanners and peregrines. From Morocco to Pakistan, falconers, princes and sheikhs come together at hunting camps to share their experiences and techniques for trapping hawks and flying them at quarry. Whether the hawking party involves a handful or hundreds of men, they sit around the campfire to discuss their day, tell stories and prepare their hawks for the next day of hunting.
Whether the prey is the bountiful houbara bustard, the stone curlew or the desert hare, Arab falconers train their prized falcons to be successful hunters of their chosen quarry. Using traditional techniques such as hooding and modern developments like telemetry, Arab falconers find success and satisfaction in the ‘sport’ of falconry. They have much to share about their way of life, past and present.
Arab Falconry explores their stories. With a personal account by the author, Roger Upton, including excerpts from his own diaries following his adventures on hawking trips over decades, this book provides a real glimpse into the world of Arab falconry, which is rarely documented in the West.
(This edition is not for sale in North America. Please go to www.hancockwildlife.org to order copies in USA and Canada.)
