The research objective is to read or reconstruct the Arabic documents found at the harbour town of Quseir on the Egyptian Red Sea coast during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods (13th-15th centuries)
ie:
a) to evaluate the texts combined with archeological enquiry;
b) to examine the content and context within the framework of the long distance trade and pilgrim traffic from Quesir as a chief port of the Red Sea region and its trade contacts with the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.
c) to raise public and scholarly awareness about the significance of the documents as a source of academic, educational and community interest so that comparative work will be possible in subsequent research.

The value of this inter disciplinary project is that it will bring together a diverse range of scholars and approaches whose input will contribute to a comprehensive analysis of the material. The discussions will offer a clearer hypothesis as to the cultural patterns that lie beneath the surface of Islamic habitation.