In 1861, Egyptian army engineer and surveyor, arrived in the Hijaz by train. He had with him a large wet plate collodion camera with which he would produce the very first photographs ever known to have been taken of the Holy Cities of Mecca and Madina. The glass-plate technique he used was then only a decade old.
Almost two decades later, Sadiq Bey returned to the Hijaz, this time as treasurer of the Hajj caravan, and produced a collection of photographs that would for the first time in history, document the Hajj realistically on camera. These are the images he is best remembered for.
Sadiq Bey’s achievements were recognised in the Arab world, and Europe too; he won a gold medal at the Venice Geographical Exhibition in 1881.
His photos were published in his two books detailing his Hajj journeys: The Mash’al al-Mahmal (‘The Torch of the Mahmal’) in 1881, and Dalil al-Hajj (‘The Guide to the Hajj’) in 1896.
Read more about Sadiq Bey: Pioneer Photographer of the Holy Cities.
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