Photo Essays

Fifteen years after the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime, the following images tell the story of the many changes that have occurred in Baghdad over the course of time. Today, Iraqis are free people in almost every respect, but the almost complete lack of public infrastructure makes everyday life challenging. By Mulham Al-Malaika

Followers of various religions wear special head coverings to express their faith and show humility and dignity. Yarmulkes, mitres, veils and turbans are made of a great variety of materials. By Klaus Kramer

The Berber village Matmata in southern Tunisia is famous for its quaint underground houses and cave dwellings, which are pleasantly cool in summer and comfortably warm in winter.

Radical, divisive, fascinating: Pharaoh Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV) had a unique vision of religion which altered the era in which he lived. By Melina Grundmann

Europe and Turkey have a lot in common. Istanbul for one. The metropolis of 15 million is not merely geographically part of Europe. A foray through the city of contrasts. By Julia Hahn and Rena Effendi

A decorative cloth for some, a sign of resistance for others. All the aspects of "tatreez" come to light in Fatima Abbadi's latest photo series. By Jan Tomes

The centuries-old festival of "Pir Shalyar" is celebrated in the Iranian-Kurdish village of Hawraman Takht at the beginning of February every year. It is just one of many unique living traditions from this West Iranian mountain region close to the Iraqi border. By Marian Brehmer

Covering over 1,480 acres and accommodating over five million bodies, Wadi al Salam in Najaf, Iraq, has been a burial site for over 1400 years. The shrine of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia Imam, attracts millions of pilgrims every year. By Changiz M. Varzi

Thoughtful, provocative, chic: Shehzil Malik′s new aesthetic seeks social transformation in Pakistan's conservative, male-dominated society — sometimes by deliberately flaunting social conventions. By Farhad Mirza