In 1891, the Danish philologist Johannes Østrup (1867-1938) set out on a journey that was as adventurous as it was scientific. For two years he explored parts of Egypt, the Middle East, and Asia Minor. Dressed partly in Arab clothes, and partly in Western-style attire, he cut a distinctive figure as he traversed the Syrian Desert, before riding from Homs to Copenhagen, via Damascus and Constantinople, on his faithful companion, a grey thoroughbred stallion that he picked up from the Bedouin Sbâ tribe.
Shortly after returning to Denmark, he published his observations. That he did so in Danish – his mother tongue – should occasion no surprise. For scholars and enthusiasts alike with an interest in the archaeology, cultural history, and languages of the regions visited by Østrup – including such spellbinding sites as Palmyra – it remains worthwhile to delve into his texts. Today, though, it is evident that the need to read Danish may scare off some potential readers.
To overcome this, Østrup’s book – Skiftende horizonter (Shifting Horizons) – has now been translated into English by his great-granddaughter, Cisca Spencer. A treasure trove of knowledge has thus become available to a much broader readership. The book was published this June by Brepols Publishers, as the first volume in the Archive Archaeology series founded by Rubina Raja (see ‘Further information’).
Life and death