View of a coastal town by Thomas Elwon (1793/4–1835)

Content

Genre/Subject Matter:

These four topographical views of the coastline along the Red Sea coast are sketched from on board ship.

The upper image shows either the city of Jeddah or the town of Hodedda [Al Hodeida] with the Hijaz mountain range visible in the background. Right of centre, one peak is identified as ‘Sugar Loaf’ or ‘Gebel Yemmenere’: this may refer to Jabal Jimām, a mountain due east across the coastal plain from Hodedda.

At far left several windmills are indicated; to their right a structure with high walls and a domed roof, which may indicate a mosque or mausoleum. Further mosques are indicated at right along with a fortified structure at far right.

The middle image is a hastily sketched out series of mountains; inscriptions indicate locations that cannot be verified such as ‘Sennam’ and ‘Gebel ‘Ulmayer’.

The lower image may be a continuation of the upper topographical view. Fortifications lead from far left towards the centre, while the highest peaks in the range of mountains in the background are identified as ‘Saddle Hill’ or ‘Gebel Addar’.

On the verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. a further hastily sketched out topographical view shows some low-lying tents or other structures along a coastline, with mountains in the background.

Inscriptions:

Recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. :

Above upper image, in pencil: ‘Sugar Loaf or Gebel Yemmenere.’

Below upper image, in pencil: ‘[lost]ddah’

Above middle image at left, in pencil: ‘Semman’; ‘end of [illegible] Bay [illegible]’; ‘Gebel Ullmeyer.’

Above lower image, at left, in pencil: ‘Saddle hill’; ‘Gebble Addar’

Verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. :

Upper left corner, in pencil: ‘WD3534’

Above image, in pencil: ’Towards the end of Judda [sp?] Bay to the North &’; ‘Northern part of the range left of the Town Domarrar[sp?]’

Extent and format

4 topographical views on 1 sheet of paper

It is part of

Drawings of the coast around Aden and along the Red Sea made during Elwon’s survey to establish the best course for steamers travelling to and from Suez by Thomas Elwon (1793/4-1835)

8 images

Ref: WD3533-3536

Physical characteristics

Dimensions:

305 x 425 mm

Materials:

Pencil on paper

Condition:

Surface dirt coats the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. and verso The back of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'v'. . Staining spreads from the lower left to the upper left. The paper is torn extensively at all edges, and along former folds, with the entire lower right square missing. However, repair work has stabilised the sheet.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Drawing

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: Visual Arts

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

WD3534

History of this record

Date(s)

1829-1834 (CE, Gregorian)

Places

Hodedda

People & organisations

Thomas Elwon

Share this record

• Share on twitter
• Share on facebook

Cite this record in your research

View of a coastal town by Thomas Elwon (1793/4–1835), British Library: Visual Arts, WD3534, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100025656138.0x000002> [accessed 7 July 2026]

Link to this record

https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100025656138.0x000002

IIIF details

This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100023807154.0x000001/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images

Copyright: How to use this content