Industry and Industrialism in the Late Antique and Early Islamic Near East

Book cover: Industry and Industrialism in the Late Antique and Early Islamic Near East

Extent: 234 pages

Publisher: Wiley-VCH

Subjects: Ancient Near East, Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies

Series: Late Antique and Medieval Islamic Near East

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(October 2026)

ISBN: 9781614911555

7.01 x 10 inches

Price: $44.95

In stock

This volume examines forms of economic production in the late antique and medieval Islamic Near East that qualify as “industrial”—in particular because of their scale, the involvement of specialized stages of production, and capitalization beyond the means of the average household.


This volume examines forms of economic production in the late antique and medieval Islamic Near East that qualify as “industrial” in some sense—in particular because of their scale, the involvement of specialized stages of production, and capitalization beyond the means of the average household. The book’s essays draw on literary, documentary, and archaeological evidence to examine labor specialization and economic growth, the relationship between industry and state authority, transformation in agriculture and agricultural products, the organization of sugar and indigo production, the structure of copper mining and metallurgical enterprises, and the economic conditions that promoted or constrained industrial development. Collectively, the essays enrich our understanding of the nature and presence of industry in the Near East in this period and confirm the region’s economic vitality.