Freya Stark was a British explorer and travel writer born in 1893 in Paris. She worked as a nurse in Italy before World War I and then went to London, where she studied at the School of Oriental Studies. During her long lifetime, she traveled extensively in Turkey, Afghanistan, and all around the Middle East. In her books she described her experiences regarding the culture and customs of the people she met on her trips. She died at Asolo, Italy in 1993.
The collection comprises 18 photographs taken by Freya Stark in her 1954 trip in the western and southern coasts of Turkey. The photos depict Classical ruins, Islamic architecture, landscapes, and local people. They document Freya Stark's activity as an explorer and travel writer and her love for the Muslim world. During that journey Stark prepared her books Ionia a Quest, The Lycian Shore, Alexander's Path.