Asharq Al-Awsat
·Jul 2026
Hormuz in the Age of Great Travelers: The Region's High Standing
Descriptions by Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta highlight Hormuz’s commercial importance, extreme climate, and cultural practices, with Polo emphasizing trade activity, the region’s strategic harbor, and harsh environmental conditions. His accounts contain exaggerations and reflect prejudiced attitudes toward local inhabitants, revealing a gap between Western perceptions and regional realities.