1. These are the most recently released figures. The results of the 1996 census were not yet available at the time of writing. [BACK]

2. For a discussion of Ibn Kannan and other eighteenth-century literary celebrants of Damascus, see Tamari 1998. [BACK]

3. A reference to a saying (hadith) of the Prophet Muhammad regarding the appropriate time to break fast during Ramadan, when it is so dark that a black thread can no longer be distinguished from a white thread, and, more generally, when to say the dawn prayer. [BACK]

4. Laylat al-Qadr, the twenty-seventh of Ramadan, the night the Qur’an descended. [BACK]

5. The ‘Alawi, Syria’s largest minority group, are a religious sect considered heretical by the Sunni Muslims of Damascus. Originating from the villages of coastal Syria, they are strongly associated with the peasantry. [BACK]

6. The Sheraton was eclipsed in 1995 with the opening of the lavish Nobles’ Palace. [BACK]

7. Visiting a hairdresser on the day of a wedding party is crucial for Damascene elite women, as weddings are among the most important occasions for social display. For more on Damascene weddings, see Tapper 1988–89. [BACK]

8. Historically most Middle Eastern cities lack strong restaurant traditions (Hattox 1985, 89). [BACK]

10. This was very true in 1993, but by the end of the following year middle-class households were gaining access to satellite dishes. [BACK]

11. For more on Syrian Ramadan television serials, see Salamandra 1997. [BACK]

12. A university-educated government employee earns $80 to $100 per month. [BACK]