This ancient desert society is portrayed here in depth for the first time Saudi Arabia is a young nation with an ancient history. One of the most conservative societies in the world, it has been grappling with the impact of modernization wrought by the influx of great oil wealth since the mid-twentieth century. Saudi culture is in constant flux, and the culture gap between the West and Saudi Islamic culture is wide. Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia is the first cultural overview of the country and provides timely, authoritative insight into a major Middle Eastern power. The Saudis are a proud people with a closed society, but circumstances have caused them to play an important role in current world affairs. The author has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia and has used his extensive contacts there to provide up-to-date material. Saudi culture developed through age-old interactions between the Arabian peoples and their harsh desert environment. The themes of an ancient desert society infused with islamic values on a collision course with modernity are explored through chapters on the land, people, and history, traditional Islamic culture and modernization, the extended family and gender roles, cuisine and dress, social customs, rites of passage, and holidays, communication and mass media, and artistic expression. Colour photos and a map, chronology, and glossary complement the narrative.. Part of the Culture and Customs of the Middle East series. Offers unprecedented coverage of a country seen in the West as a closed Islamic society. Author has lived in Saudi Arabia, and used his many contacts to offer authoritative, current material. A rare look at a Middle Eastern power