How a British explorer’s search for an ancient lost Arabian city uncovered a traveler from the stars instead

Special A chunk of the Wabar meteorite that crashed into the Empty Quarter. (Archives/Getty)
A chunk of the Wabar meteorite that crashed into the Empty Quarter. (Archives/Getty)
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Updated 11 December 2022
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How a British explorer’s search for an ancient lost Arabian city uncovered a traveler from the stars instead

How a British explorer’s search for an ancient lost Arabian city uncovered a traveler from the stars instead
  • An isolated spot in Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter saw one of the most dramatic meteorite strikes in history 
  • Harry St. John Philby’s search for the city of Ubar led to the discovery of the meteor’s twin craters 90 years ago

LONDON: It was, in the words of a 1998 report published in Scientific American, “the day the sands caught fire.”

The sands in question were at an isolated spot deep in Saudi Arabia’s Rub Al-Khali, or Empty Quarter. The fire, which melted half a square kilometer of desert and transformed it into black glass, fell from the sky in one of the most dramatic meteorite strikes the planet has ever experienced.

Geologists continue to debate exactly when the so-called Wabar meteorite fell to Earth — the theories range from 450 to 6,400 years ago. However, we can be almost certain that this ancient traveler, carrying fragments of celestial bodies that formed in the earliest days of our solar system, originated in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Having orbited the Sun for millions of years, it finally crashed into Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of up to 60,000 kilometers per hour, before plummeting to Earth in several fiery pieces.

However, it was a more down-to-earth mystery that, 90 years ago, led intrepid British explorer Harry St. John Philby to the edge of two craters in the desert so imposing that, at first, he mistook them for the mouths of an extinct volcano. He was pursuing the legend of an ancient lost city in the heart of the sands, described in the Qur’an as having been destroyed by God for rejecting the warnings of the prophet Hud.

In 1930 and 1931, British explorer Bertram Thomas had become the first Westerner to cross the Empty Quarter. In his 1932 book, “Arabia Felix,” he recounted how his Bedouin guides had shown him “well-worn tracks, about a hundred yards in cross-section, graven in the plain.”

They led north into the sands at the southern edge of the vast desert. This, the guides told Thomas, was “the road to Ubar … a great city, our fathers have told us, that existed of old, a city rich in treasure … it now lies buried beneath the sands.”

Thomas marked the position of the ancient road on his map, intending to return but never did.

Archaeologist-turned-soldier T. E. Lawrence — known to the world as Lawrence of Arabia, who helped to foment the Arab revolt in the Hejaz during the First World War — made plans to search, by airship, for this “Atlantis of the Sands,” as he called it. However, he died in 1935 in England as a result of a motorcycle crash before he could act on them.

Philby was likewise intrigued by the stories of the lost city. He followed the clues left by Thomas, and directions from his own Bedouin guides, to a place they called Wabar — but which, confusingly at first, was also known to them as Al-Hadida, or “the place of iron.”

Initially, Philby — who had been granted permission to mount his expedition by King Abdulaziz, to whom he had become a trusted adviser — was convinced he had found the ancient city he sought, which was said to have been established by the legendary King Shaddad ibn ‘Ad.




Bedouin guides took British explorer Harry St. John Philby to a place they called Al-Hadida, or the ‘place of iron.’ (Archives/Getty)

“I had my first glimpse of Wabar — a thin low line of ruins riding upon a wave of the yellow sands,” he wrote in his 1933 book “The Empty Quarter.”

“Leaving my companions to pitch the tents and get our meal ready against sunset, I walked up to the crest of a low mound of the ridge to survey the general scene before dark … I reached the summit and, in that moment, fathomed the legend of Wabar.

“I looked down not upon the ruins of an ancient city but into the mouth of a volcano, whose twin craters, half filled with drifted sand, lay side by side surrounded by slag and lava outpoured from the bowels of the Earth … I knew not whether to laugh or cry, but I was strangely fascinated by a scene that had shattered the dreams of years.”

His guides, still convinced they had discovered the cursed ancient city, dug in the sand for treasure and “came running up to me with lumps of slag and tiny fragments of rusted iron and small shining black pellets, which they took to be the pearls of ‘Ad’s ladies, blackened in the conflagration that had consumed them with their lord.”

In fact, the “pearls” were impactites: Small, black, glass beads created by the heat of the burning meteorite when it crashed into the sand.

Gazing around to take in further evidence of the twin craters and their glass walls, and the scattered fragments of alien metal, it finally dawned on Philby that this was no volcano, nor a lost city, but the site of a huge meteorite impact.

“This may indeed be Wabar of which the badawin speak,” a disappointed Philby told his guides, “but it is the work of God, not man.”

Philby sent a fragment of metal from the site to the British Museum for analysis. It was found to be an alloy of iron and nickel, which is commonly found in meteorites. The museum report concluded that “the kinetic energy of a large mass of iron traveling at a high velocity was suddenly transformed into heat, vaporizing a large part of the meteorite and some of the earth’s crust, so producing a violent gaseous explosion, which formed the crater and backfired the remnants of the meteorite.




Remains of the meteorite on display. (Archives, Getty Images)

“The materials collected at the Wabar crater afford the clearest evidence that very high temperatures prevailed: The desert sand was not only melted, yielding a silica-glass, but also boiled and vaporized. The meteoritic iron was also in large part vaporized, afterward condensing as a fine drizzle.”

Others would follow in Philby’s footsteps. In 1937 the first of several expeditions by geologists from Aramco visited the site. They were disappointed not to find a lump of iron that local rumors suggested was the size of a camel.

In time, however, this “camel” would be found, uncovered by winds that blew away the sand that had buried it. In 1966, an Aramco team found the largest of two exposed pieces of the meteorite, which weighed more than 2,000 kilograms.

It was taken to Aramco headquarters in Dhahran and later put on display at King Saud University in Riyadh. Today, it can be seen at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia in the capital.

As for the lost city of Ubar, the best candidate that has emerged to date is not in the Empty Quarter but about 500 kilometers farther south, near the remote village of Shisr in Oman’s Dhofar province.

The site was identified through analysis of radar imagery collected by the space shuttle Endeavor in 1992, followed by a ground expedition led by British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, whose book, “Atlantis of The Sands,” is an account of his 24-year search for the lost city.

As NASA reported in 1999, “archaeologists believe Ubar existed from about 2800 B.C. to about 300 A.D. and was a remote desert outpost where caravans were assembled for the transport of frankincense across the desert.”

Disappointingly for lovers of romantic legend, it seems Ubar was destroyed not by the wrath of God but by bad planning. Archaeologists who investigated the site in 1992 believe the city was built over a large cavern and abandoned when it eventually collapsed into a massive sinkhole.


Riyadh’s Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University launches bachelor’s degree in cinema and theater

Riyadh’s Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University launches bachelor’s degree in cinema and theater
Updated 04 October 2023
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Riyadh’s Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University launches bachelor’s degree in cinema and theater

Riyadh’s Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University launches bachelor’s degree in cinema and theater
  • Program to have ‘direct positive impact’ on creative industries in the Kingdom, says college dean
  • Restructure sees creation of cybersecurity, translation and psychiatry departments

LONDON: Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh has launched a bachelor’s degree in cinema and theater as part of the creation of a new department.

The Department of Cinema and Theater is part of the university’s College of Media and Communication.

The bachelor’s degree will train students in the arts of filmmaking and theater, while also ensuring that the content they produce is consistent with Saudi customs and culture.

Though details of the program have yet to be announced, the college is expected to offer courses in directing, filming and scriptwriting taught by both Arab and international experts.

The new department is part of a comprehensive academic restructuring of the university, which also includes the creation of new departments in cybersecurity, early childhood education, industrial engineering, psychiatry, radiology and translation.

The university has also merged the Higher Institute for Da’wah and Ihtisab with the College of Fundamentals of Religion under the new name of the College of Fundamentals of Religion and Da’wah.

Last year, Prince Saad bin Saud bin Mohammed Al-Saud, dean of the College of Media and Communication, revealed the draft program in an interview with Arab News.

He said that the new degree would have a “direct positive impact” on the cinema and theater industry in the Kingdom through the training of a pool of skilled professionals.

The College of Media and Communication at IMSIU is one of the largest colleges in the Kingdom, and is the latest to cater to new specializations in the field.

A few years ago, the college launched a marketing advertising department, a graphics and multimedia department, in addition to departments covering journalism, radio and TV, and public relations.


Saudi Arabia, Brazil sign MoU on aviation cooperation

Saudi Arabia, Brazil sign MoU on aviation cooperation
Updated 04 October 2023
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Saudi Arabia, Brazil sign MoU on aviation cooperation

Saudi Arabia, Brazil sign MoU on aviation cooperation
  • Agreement signed during conference in Rio de Janeiro to highlight investment opportunities in aviation sector
  • ‘The two countries have a long history of cooperation and partnerships in various fields’: GACA president

SAO PAULO: The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation and Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of civil aviation during a conference in Rio de Janeiro.

The conference highlighted investment opportunities in the aviation sector. The two countries intend to reinforce cooperation to exchange knowledge, aiming to improve the passenger experience in air transport, among other goals.

The Saudi Press Agency reported that the partnership fulfills the objectives of the National Aviation Strategy, which seeks to make the Kingdom a global aviation hub.

With this partnership, Brazil can provide expertise in infrastructure projects and other areas of the Saudi aviation sector.

“By participating in the event, the Kingdom seeks to prove its global leadership in the field of aviation and its readiness to expand and strengthen cooperation with Brazil,” the SPA said.

The MoU includes information exchanges such as reports, service quality indicators and passenger satisfaction surveys related to practices adopted in Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

The agreement also includes the exchange of information, standardized procedures for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility, and training courses and workshops focusing on improving the passenger experience. The MoU will be implemented according to the laws and regulations of both countries.

GACA President Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, who attended the conference’s opening ceremony, said the Kingdom values relationships built on trust and hard work.

“Despite the long distance between Saudi Arabia and Brazil, the two countries have a long history of cooperation and partnerships in various fields,” he added.

Saudi Arabia is heavily investing in its aviation sector to boost tourism by 2030, targeting 330 million passengers by the end of the decade.


Saudi pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha highlighting Kingdom’s ‘natural richness’

Saudi pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha highlighting Kingdom’s ‘natural richness’
Updated 04 October 2023
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Saudi pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha highlighting Kingdom’s ‘natural richness’

Saudi pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha highlighting Kingdom’s ‘natural richness’

MAKKAH: The Saudi pavilion at the Expo 2023 Doha Horticultural Exhibition is shining the spotlight on the Kingdom’s ‘natural richness,’ drawing visitors from around the world, the site’s supervisor has told Arab News.

Delegations and visitors headed to the Qatari capital for the opening of the exhibition, which is held under the slogan “Green Desert, Better Environment.”

Held from Oct. 2 to March 28 next year, the event showcases the latest innovations in horticulture and environmental sustainability, aiming to inspire the international community to adopt solutions to combat desertification through four axes: Modern agriculture, technology and innovation, environmental awareness, and sustainability.

 

 

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and other leaders and heads of state visited the Kingdom’s pavilion at the opening, and were received by Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture.

The leaders listened to an explanation on the Kingdom’s presence at the event from the general supervisor of the Kingdom’s pavilion, Saleh bin Dakhil, who reviewed the work of green environmental initiatives, the contributions of renewable energy, and investment in major environmentally friendly projects.

 

 

Bin Dakhil, who is also general manager of corporate communication and media, and official spokesperson at the ministry, told Arab News that the Saudi site at the expo is the second largest after Qatar’s host pavilion.

He said: “The pavilion and its annexes were designed to suit the main themes of the event, creating a unique journey for visitors. The pavilion is full of various stations through which technology and picturesque nature harmonize and give visitors the opportunity to learn about huge national projects and effective initiatives that employ innovative solutions to create a sustainable future for the whole world, with the participation of a number of government and private agencies.”

Bin Dakhil added: “The pavilion begins through three main entrances. The first of which is the welcome area, which reflects the human richness and the cultural and natural components of the Kingdom, to explore the spirit of the Kingdom, the richness of its land, and the diversity of its resources.

“After that comes the external garden, which surrounds the pavilion and showcases the topography and geography of the Kingdom, and the ancient resources it contains. Then comes the internal garden, which showcases the present environment in the Kingdom through its current and future projects and initiatives.”

He said that visitors were warmly received to the pavilion through folklore performances from Jazan, such as the traditional Ardah dance.

Bin Dakhil added that the Kingdom’s pavilion includes central areas, most notably the “Our Nature” zone, which highlights the natural landscapes and terrain of the Kingdom.

The “Our Initiatives” area details the most prominent initiatives and projects in Saudi Arabia, while the “Our Prosperity” area highlights the role of Saudi Vision 2030 in shaping the future of the Kingdom by encouraging environmental prosperity.

“There is also an interactive area that gives visitors an inspiring experience about the ecosystem,” Bin Dakhil added.

The pavilion is decorated with unique tree species that reflect the variety of flora in the Kingdom, such as sidr, lavender, basil, gray ghaf and more.


Jeddah governor meets Gambian consul general

Jeddah governor meets Gambian consul general
Updated 04 October 2023
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Jeddah governor meets Gambian consul general

Jeddah governor meets Gambian consul general

Jeddah Governor Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi on Sunday met the Consul General of Gambia Abdullah Conte in the Red Sea port city.

At a separate meeting, in Riyadh, Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received the Malaysian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Datuk Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah.

During the two meetings, all sides discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern and ways to further strengthen relations.
 


Tourism boom for Saudi Arabia with 58% growth in arrivals in 2023, ranks 2nd globally

Tourism boom for Saudi Arabia with 58% growth in arrivals in 2023, ranks 2nd globally
Updated 04 October 2023
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Tourism boom for Saudi Arabia with 58% growth in arrivals in 2023, ranks 2nd globally

Tourism boom for Saudi Arabia with 58% growth in arrivals in 2023, ranks 2nd globally
  • Riyadh hosted World Tourism Day on Sept. 27-28, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to the global tourism sector

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has been ranked second globally in terms of tourist arrivals during the first seven months of 2023, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Kingdom saw a 58 percent growth in tourist numbers up to the end of July, according to the Ministry of Tourism, compared to the same period in 2019.

The data was sourced last month from the UN World Tourism Organization and came from the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

Riyadh hosted World Tourism Day on Sept. 27-28, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to the global tourism sector.

Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb said that the achievement “would not have been possible without the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and the Crown Prince,” the SPA reported.

Al-Khateeb added that the ranking strengthened the country’s status as a global tourist destination and that the substantial rise in arrivals reflected the confidence travelers had in the variety and quality of tourism options available within the Kingdom.