ABSTRACT
This chapter explores Frank Scholten’s photographic documentation of four Palestinian villages (Yazur, Beit Dajan, Sarafand, and al Safiriyya) in the early 1920s. Taken during the early British Mandate period, Scholten’s photographs provide a rare visual record of the rural coastal landscape and the socioeconomic changes that affected these villages. This analysis examines how Scholten’s biblical and Oriental influences shaped his portrayal of Palestinian rural life, and it contrasts his visual narrative with archival records and local oral histories. The chapter also considers the impact of modernization on these villages, reflecting the growing tension between urban expansion and rural traditions. Through a critical review of Scholten’s work, this study sheds light on the complex dynamics of rural modernization in early twentieth-century Palestine.
