The editors bring together an international team of contributors consisting of archaeologists, geographers, historians, anthropologists and agronomists in a penetrating account of the transformation of nomadic society. The chapters provide an integrated analysis of the changing relations of ecology, economy and socio-political organization in the steppes of the central Middle East, documenting the longue-durée of history alongside the rapid transformations in the twentieth century. This is an accessible and interactive book that will attract readers from a variety of disciplines, including environmental and development issues.