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Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website Here are two episodes in the obscure Vagabond Adventure Series of films, produced by the Van Beuren Corporation and released by RKO. Both “Damascus” and “Moorish Spain” are short, black-and-white travel films from 1934 that, through a combination of stunning visuals and architectural wonders, takes the viewer on a trip through Damascus, Syria and Granada, Spain. Narrated by Alois Havrilla, the films underscore the history of these cities, the agricultural industries, and the famous buildings that are found there from the Umayyad Mosque to the Alhambra. Film 1: Opening credits (0:08). Arid farmland lined with Terebinth trees, man on donkey ushers two horses carrying hay; another farmer using ox-pulled plow (0:58). Close-up farmer with 1930s wooden ox-drawn plow wearing traditional keffiyeh head wrap, plows field barefoot (1:36). View of Damascus from elevated viewpoint where Prophet Mohammed said he refused to enter the city (1:59). Ruins of mosque on outskirts of Damascus, minaret peaks up over archways of mosque’s remnants (2:09). Minaret of the Bride at the Umayyad Mosque/ Great Mosque of Damascus in distance (2:19). Ruins of religious school surrounding Mausoleum of Saladin (2:29). Minaret of Isa framed by two ancient Roman columns (2:35). Close-up architectural details of Umayyad Mosque courtyard, archways, remnants of Byzantine Basilica dedicated to John the Baptist (2:53). Ancient Roman triumphal arch (Al Kharab) on Street called Straight, camera pans down to reveal shop stalls of bazaars, busy pedestrian traffic along Al-Buzuriyah Souq (3:30). Bustling open-air central market, men in head wraps with agal rope, tall tarboosh caps; people weave in and out around donkeys, camels carrying goods in burlap sacks such as sheep's wool (3:56). Barber wearing tarboosh cap shaves client’s beard in makeshift open-air barber stall with mirror resting against rocks (4:47). Stone cutter’s tent: close-up man carving design using chisel and hammer (5:27). Artisan using file to shape mother of pearl for traditional Syrian wood furniture with mother of pearl inlay; close-up finished chair back, decorative board with Quranic inscription, glove box (5:48). Close-up woodturner uses feet and wood lathe with hand-held tools to cut spindles (6:47). Young artisan engraves silver tray with intricate floral pattern; finished decorative chair, Arabian coffee pot hammered out of brass, brass bowl with Arabic Quranic inscription (7:10). Mosque in rural countryside outside of Damascus (8:02). Narration stops to highlight call to prayer “Adhan” (8:35). Film 2: Opening credits (9:35). Empty structure of wood carriage on edge of farmland, agricultural workers carry baskets on their backs of collected harvest (10:08). Dust fills air as farmer drives horse-drawn stone boat over arid field to plant wheat, other farm hands spread seed in background (10:21). Close-up young farm boy in straw hat resting on ox’s horns, harvesters leisurely walk along road with harvest thrown over their backs (11:16). Spanish goats graze on vast hillside, two young men stand watch (11:27). Donkey tied to oak trees, sheets of stripped oak bark removed from mule’s back (oak used to make cork for wine and Dom Pérignon champagne) (11:55). Young woman sits over embroidery loom, does traditional needlework (13:22). Same young woman holds up and displays miniature ivory carving of arches in Moorish-style architecture, mother of pearl and wood frame (13:41). Painter stands with easel looks out at view of Alhambra from spot where Washington Irving wrote “Tales of the Alhambra” (13:48). Another shot of painter with easel sketching Torre De La Bella (14:06). Architectural details of Palace of Charles V (Renaissance-style) (14:28). Heart of Alhambra: Court of the Lions, Moorish architecture - arches, marble columns, carved plaster, tile work (15:05). Close-up Quranic verses carved into plaster adorn walls, other features geometric carvings, bronze and wood doors (15:47). Court of the Myrtles: Andalusian garden, mashrabiya latticework, central pool (16:10). Views through arched windows of town of Granada, Sierra Nevada mountains (16:42). Woman holds up Flamenco shawl on side of road (17:09). Troupe of female flamenco dancers perform dance number holding castanets in hand to produce rhythmic sound, other women sit on side of square and clap along (17:25-19:00). This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
