This volume presents the results of systematic social anthropological research that was conducted in undeveloped regions in southern Saudi Arabia (southern Hijaz and Asir), a collaborative project between the Austrian Institute of Social Anthropology of the University of Vienna and the Department for Archaeology and Museology of King Saud University, Riyadh, which received funding from the Austrian Science Fund (Vienna) and the King Saud University (Riyadh). The project was directed by the editor with his colleague, Prof. Dr. Abd al-Rahman T. Al Ansari, Head of the Department for Antiquities of King Saud University. The investigation team consisted of three Austrians and three Saudi Arabians. The project's preliminary survey took place in 1979 and the main explorations between 1980 and 1982.