Phe myth ofthe lest ct ofthe Arabian Sands* 7 Cc - . 7>~\> — Aethiopia FIGURE 13. The ancion fronkncone rave rts, Note Shiu’ sgnficaee for routes to the souiveus, ‘ortheas end noes (Ske: 1:3,30, 00). smacks of rae cyclen storms as evidence Zari 2000: 435,48, fig), So scems that Zarns as not ven up ‘be idea that an cient city in the dese of souerm ‘Arabia may have existed, but he does vow ast that ‘ras ot Sh Conclusions ‘Shir canot have ben he mythical ot iy of Ubac* foe the flowing sexo: 1 Even th lezen sae that Ubar or Wabar was a land, ora. 2 The walled sca of 56 x 651 sound Shinar i {acton smal ever wo have encompuned ty. 4 The sapped "Road to Ubat's whish te Bed ‘xin pointed out to Berta Thomas it 1930 in ‘he Rawat Mio, Jd away nowvest iso the ‘25d unos ofthe Bal Kal esr at Ramis Shura sd not 170 kay south-east tothe bate Tinestone pln of Dhar at Shiner 44 Albough Shisur has been an port wieole for eerurs, there is no evidence of ty there 5, None othe thireon hoard artefacts excavated ‘hum aceubulaed debris a the sso of She sur meatons Ur 6. The only archaeologist familie with Arbia o6- ompanying the epeion ow dec tha Sic Sara he i of tec of Ub 1, Shir could hardly have een a "ety" if ha10 1 Stewart Fel Spenser 1935, Meteor oa and Sie Glee tom the Meteorite Crtrs of Weber Appadic A. ages 365: 370 im SUB. Philby, The Enply Quarter. binge descrip of he great south desert of “Arabia row Bud? a Kh, Londoa: Covet Spree A 875. Die Ate Geograph Anbien als Grudge der entuiclusgeschice de Smita. Ber son Faber These W, 1950. Arabian Sana New York ston, 10920, The south-eastern bordel of Rural Kal, Geographical Journal 73: 193-215, 1032, drabia Felis: aca the Empty Quarter of Arabia. Loon: Cape. 1038 Uae =the Alas ofthe Som of Ru al Rha. dermal of te Royal Cental dian Sees 30; 260.265, 2001, War Pages 4-5 in Phe Snel of stan (New ein). xi Leen: Bil, Wissmann H. ben 1963, Das Yorisamisch Arien. (map scl 7500.00) in A. Grohmann, Arabi. (Handbuch der Alrtmswissnschaf, 51 3: Kulureschichte des Aton Orcs, 3.4) Mavic Beck ‘Yogic a Rao, Shab a-Dtn abl Ala a Harated F. Wustenfld 186. jan abode Leip Bross eats 10974, Persia and Dhofu: Aspects of rom Age Ieteratonal Polos and Trade, Popes 615-689 in G ‘Young, M. Chavalas dR Averbeck (ed Crossing Boundaries and inking horisons ties inhanour of Michael! © Asfurom hs BO indy: Morland, NY: CDL, 19904, Alan of he Sas Archway 30: 51-33, 2000, Ecvronmental Gruton and human response. Pages 25-47 in G. Bowden & RM, Reyeraf (Gis). Eaironnertal Disaster and ke Archeolops of Human Resporse (Maxwell Muses of ‘Aubropology- Arhrpologeal Papes, 7) Albuquerque, NM: atversiy af New Mexico Pres Zac Rabin 8A. fe Kar T19, Prlimiary Report onthe Archnclagcal Survey f the Rpath Arex, a 6 20-38 t's ares Profesor I. Stewart Bagel 8 Batkly Cresent, Pores, Canberra, ACT 2603, Austlig enol sede nespeedsom.aThe yh af the "ost ity ofthe Arabian Sana” 9 2002, Shute imaging radar sects of te legendary Arabian Lost ity of Ubar and he eit of Ub Geological Soe of America, Abstract 1: 183, Bige HS. & Hews WP. 1936. Geological Map of ofr (sae 1:270,000) Salah: DnofrCiica Sense Patceum Corpo- ‘ation. [Uapebisd Frenne. 1992, let ef he Somds— The Search or the Lot Cty of Uber. London: Bloor James WE. 1969, On the action of Ger, Anan, Pages 36-57 io F. Altheim & R. Stel (ds), Die Araber der alten Wee 2. Ban de Gry. 42 Propulsion Laboratory 994" Loot city of Uer, 3 ard SIR-C image, Pasalens, CA: lpn jpn gow sire herd Macdonald MCA, 1005, Watar Page 135 in JM. Sinton (i), Ciiation ofthe Ancient Near Batt New Work: Seer Mandeville 12, 98D, Frankincense in Dhofr. Pages 87-89 in IN. Shaw Read, 1.8 Sole, MD. Galler & REL Daly (ed), The Scientfe Ress of Te Oman Fora and Fauna Suey 1977 Dhofi). Sou nal of Oman Studia, Special Report. 2. Musca: Ocoee Goverment Advise for Com Senvtion of te Eormen Motte R 1996, The Notso-Lost City of Uda 7, KMSot Projet, Pasadena, CA: JPLINASA. tp: Isat nas gow portion explorations ubepagaindex Mord 1957, Sulu tn Oman London: Feber & Faber National Acooauti and Space Acministation (NASA) 19980 The Seach fir Ubae: How Remote Sesing Helped Fad a Lost City. NASA's Otservatorium Edueaton, 1-7, USA: BDM Fedo Ins hepjobserve.w2assgevnaa/ebiby arabe 199sp, Teac guides Ub The Lost Cay. 14, NASA Obvervatriam, USA. BBM Feder osteo R 1947. The sand hings of Oman. London: Metben. Phiby HSC3, 193% Rub’ al Khali: ap ascous of sxplortion in the Grr Soueh Dose of Aruban. Caographica! owen 1:12 19388 The Empey Qnarier being a derrpion ofthe grt souh desert of Arable own as Buh a iat London: Conse 1939. Sheha’s Daughters: London: Methan, Philips W 1958. Unknown Oman. Loedca: Longa. Polemacus, Cad (Polen) 166 Coamegraphia.(Reprocon ofthe AD 1478 text and mp. Sena Asis Tabla, Roms: Bb Note Apes Vaan). Amsterdam: Thesrom Orbis Terran, Polemy (a and want EL Stevenson) 1991. Claudius Polom. The Geography. New York: Dover Stasi AM 199, Raven: Epgraplc Discoveries is Dhofr, Proceedings ofthe Seminar fr Arabion Ses 2 15-19 1916, Grave types "els in Dhar Arabian rcRaeoogy and epigraphy 2: 182-195.ue 1H. Seevan Edgell “fewsr than 10 inhabitants ab tte by Clapp Abbreviations ink ra News ticle of 1692 1 Temponnry sanpener eround Shiu cin sever GPS Global Pstioning Sys, Ive increased Hs enciect popution sen Jp Je ropson Laborsoy,Pasadens vision ay ‘OtNASAY 9, The comtinved exisence of te tare Rub sk Landsat Lond Remote Sensing Program, USA. Kal since the Middle Holocene precinis any NASA Naina Aerorastin and Space Admins: possi of city being crested tee tien, USA From feldsagy, rou, and achacelogc! daa itis giR-¢ ‘Shue nasiog Reda (1998) foncadeé tht the skola Shur @ Dhol vas XSaR X-Bani Spc Aperture Rede neve more thane small carvansera and tat he “Lost SPOT Saelive Probate pou 'Observation de a iy oF Ua never existed Tere Avene’. voz A Bows RL, Boal P arom RF clasp. Cots PM References 2002. The history of he Khor Ror ora. New Perspectives. Pugs 13-21 in 8. Avni (), Khor ort Repu. (Babe Antic, 1) Psu Feo Pi. Buff ¥., Lombards A, Ori R.& Sedov A. 2001, Excavations and rexiortion of the complex of Khor Ron, mid interim reson (1999-200). pli Fema Orete 22-28: 189-228 1958, Bui Monuments of South Arabia Pages 133-136 a RL. Bowen & FP. Albright (0s) 47- ‘havolgial Dssoeren in South Arabia. (Pablctions ofthe Ame, Foundation fo the Study of Man, 2}. Balimor, MD: okas Hopkins Pres. 1098, Ravew of R. Flees, dont ofthe Sand: The Search for dhe Lot Cis of bar Asan Ae fair 80.381-353, 1885. Af Layla wo Layla London: The Baton Cia, 1998. Theroadto Ubr: ding he Aant ofthe sands, Boscr, MA Houghton Min, 2001, Wabar 2. Modem aterps © locate these Pages 56 in The Emeyctaper of Mam. New ston x, Leiden Br Cramachi M. & NegivoF 2002, The finkioee road of Samhuram: palaeoenvionmental and prbitorcal background ager 25-347 in A Avro (ed), Kor Rort Report | (Abia Ati, 1), Ps: Beiione Pus, SeMaigt A Dee 8 Eigen ts, 2002, Arabia Felis: An exploration ofthe archaeological Kory of Yemen. London: Stacey 1985, Monuments f South Arabia Naples aloon 1990, Elution afte RO a Khali Desert Journal of the Facil of Aris ard umanies, ing Abdul Univer dh, Earth Sono 3 109-128. 2001, Kust and Hydrogsingy of Dafa, soither Oran. Pages 617-628 in Procedings ofthe 6th nvcrntionch Syporan ad Pe aia on Preset Sct and Fare Dre of Kat Sad ses Marmaris, Turk, IMP. 492, Pai: UNESCO,us 1H. Stewart Rag 75), Figure 11 shows typed lh sie in photo ‘raphe bythe eur ar Hasan is 1985, which ut ‘rcuniably also epyears a8 Doe I9SS: fig. 60 These Tih ses cant bo gives, a Thomas suggested, ‘nce they oflen eon bare rock, They show n0 re feed onctaton, although they ate olen near was. (C daty of the ist century AD have been stains om slit eth Jabal a Harrah Sie (Bowen 1958: 53), end thea he Wa Die ave Pee od to betweea 60 BC aod AD 110 (Chap 1998: 151) Za ‘places thes tits “sometine batvoon 150 BC end ‘AD 200" (1997b: 82) and consid ta! they were cot teeted with Zomaran bal rv pacices (Zari [997 674), although thee Sno evidence of such ‘oth monuments, ete in Tan oF associated with Zo- roan religious practice. Canalis of samples fom heaps of med sons alice 10 whe as toon similar deter of 2050 4 100 and 2100 120 BP {etShalt 1991): 193) Two tits were dtd at 2020 = 70 BP ad (870+80 BP (Cremasch & Negrino 2002 2), These wlth sites ae the distinctive cultural remains ofa Tica preslamle people extending beck to te ‘rt mallenii BC ad Svereg a ze area oF sou ‘em Ab Trlits ere commonest on the norhert tloper of the conta mune of Dofus, but extend Trough the Hramat and Mates io rors Oma. ‘athe upper rashes of WadI‘Andam (Thesige 1959: 70), as wel s being noted or. Jabal Towa xs of Rie yach (Zvies, Rabbis & Kamal 1982: 33, pl. 434) ‘hey ae signet becouse they existed whan Shi, or scaled Uber, waa a alld watrhole, being alo oval wich dhe Doggy of the Hara coastal col fry at Sumburam in 2000 40 BP (Avarain af 2000: 212, thus providing a ink between bal fake inoens gatherers of the ith alte” and conta set The mt prolife frankincense repion ies nth faba Qua, Sabla. a Iba Sn, the die areas of the nad of Bhat (cat varie) Premium quay frankincense fom the soul tee Bor vefe soora (Fig. 12) clean ad igh coloured ad ‘med lon lagu from the oper desert pes os ty of Dior between $2 40" and 52°18 (Man ‘vile 1980: 87). Poorer cua fackincense oes ‘he mourains of Dota (sbzar variety), and along he ‘east (shrab aren) Tn ancy sever fnincense rage routes exited (Fg 3) One route extended hough the importent watrole st Shi, thot orth test arnt ta of Rae Mb, after oly Ugh sands ere enoountered Tis route pussed aor norh-cstvrd following « mmbet of wells stil sed by Bede to aUbayah then to Jabra, Hof, and (Getha Games 1969: 37-8), The only archacoiopist with Arabian experince 16 asconpaay the TrasAnba Expedition of Clapp and Flora ie asach of Ubar Bernese 1990 and 1998 wes Jars Zarit He was respasble for preparing the map ofthe "City oF Ub at Shr (Feres 182" (44) a Tor sever websites ciming cbcovery of Ubu. Lat, however, e wots that “the city of Ur was an Arabian ‘ight fatsy” end noite tht he Shi ot wes ot ‘bar or even Ononon Emporion (Zatis 199TH $2) More recent, Zanne tar suggeted that modem ‘strat on the westem border of Dhar ay be the las bara, of Uta (2000: 40) and he seks © xpi the Igends of tho desmution of te "Cty of Minj-Coluaned fa” (Bur 1873, 115-19) and (Of he crap people Ad by a eyconie wind, citing PIGURE 12. 4 pice rambineense eo Boswellia a) et Har, interior Dhofor The Bedowin are mok- Tamale the bark for spo dip ot and con gal on frankincense eb ag, (Photograph by HLS. Edel.‘The mh ofthe at it ofthe Arion Samds* us Ficuae 0 Atri tal more near Lani, msrior Dhar (Phowgraph by tS gel the clovenh- ‘Sear chas st and incense bares. some appar fing beck tthe second willemian BC, Cappo ‘imed incomectly tht Shiu, Ubse, Onanon Em Dorion abd iam in te Quran. wre all onc ead the Same plus. Yet sosbere inthe Quran i Ubsr mer Tied Omanon Enmporion mst hee en « const trading town (von Winnuna 1963), probably a Kis ‘Be atd Shisur wa, at nos a stigiag pol oa the a Cleat fankincene route, as menboned by Thoms (0942): Clapp alo mentions tbe roped dsovery of the ln iy of "Gis on “Ad” by O'Shea (1907 140- HL, 190), dene fet that Mor 1987: 143) omg 40 exposed O'Shea fabrieaton a¢ “our wellknown road into Manet.” The very sl wale site at Shisar ‘wes aever a cy aod may only have Been carnamsers Ancient and mediaeval accounts of Wabar “The culo erence to te Jobartas(Uberies or Was bart) 5 in Plolemys Geographite ypheis Ter span vormers (Grade wo Geograph, AD 10). Specialy Book sk on Arsbia Flix where e ges 2s ‘fies and shows her ction em Be rp (Fig. 10) He locates th Johari, ot people of Wabar, south of the Omaniae (Omani) aed tor ofthe Charente (Giada) a the Tf Regio or incense region Sprenger (1875: 296) st that Phlensys “Iahopece (obaiae) «6 “oBeprear(Ubaritae) "are the Wabi “This mane deserts the yet sad st, 8 well the tebe that Lived thee, when there wee sil garde and ‘isda ned of deve" Nasbwn bin SK HiyaH. Stewart Edgl FIGURE R. A NASA SIR-C rar image of "Utara Shier, ffi 1690 fea 1800The myth of he "is cy ofthe Arba Sands" Heages, and Juris Zerns sought the co-operation of King Fad Univesity of Petoieum and Snes fo ‘TratsArsbia Expediton to search forthe lost city of Uber and the aves of the Gaen of Eden. My col lesgucs and I a te Univesity offred seieate co. operation, but Dr. al Mate, Director ofthe Saud Ars bm Deparment of Antgutis, Rye, dot aprove thet ojeetnes Sabueenty Shey went so Oa 0 seat forthe legeory Uta ‘Si Ranulph Flemess boak ened idantis of the Sands — The Search forthe Lost Ci of Uhr (192) resected interest it Ubu produces ao evidence thot Shao is Uber, or even oe ety ad desi spe Sealy wih the achacologiel eal of the expedition. He was coveader of te TraneArabia Expedition fom ‘August 1990 uct 1992. The Inst dee ebepes aod Prssenp cover te search for Ubar and the excavation Strains a he Sheu sinkhole, wih rfrener to pot ‘ery Foard hich sas said to ete buck to 2000 BC. “Most ptr. Seapine lames, and ieee burrs fiom Shsw’s man rang pexiod (500-300 BC). He [rescued tincen thousand arta frm excvsion at Sour tothe Bint of tnformation n Basa, or ‘Sonate tthe archaeclgy ef Oran In the joumal sine Afra, Bonbll deserbad iene’ bok as "sleni, and welled” (1958: 3410353), Bute rview i eco! im many ples For example, the siutement “User, a once prosperous trading city which, eltbough sabseovetly lot nthe thifing sande of Arabi eroncou since Ubar was fever nove a prosperous wading ion slg fod among some Bedouin. Moreover, Shur wes ot "found inthe silting ss of Arabia” bat othe nes sore plas (nj) oF iverior Dota. Fall ha wees, *Ubar his now apparerty been discovered yt ony & small siskinie walk seronocing wall was excavated, Too seal ever have besa acy ‘ABer JPLNASA provided integrated higher exh ion SPOT (ages of the are nth colour Landsat 5 ‘msapery 10 help Capps team, ths pace setts be come corvinced ofthe discovery of Ube Following te lean ofthe apace ttle “Faeaour® on 130 Apel 1998 eonying SIR-OX SAR, a fllzesaiton SIC sage ofthe Rania Min and Shiu ereas (Fg. 8) Was ‘eleed on 28th July 14 (et Propasin Larry 1994 3, frye), and a SPOT nage Fig 9) of Ua (NASA 1998 §) The Arab News of 6 Febery 1992 ‘eponed the socalled covery of Ubar an wrote "Re archers four the ety by ting scot det road Alec in pictues taken from several spacers i ‘acing racer and cpieal cameras cariod by ‘hal a longs? im October 1984, sid Ronald Blom, «gclogise NASA’ et propulsion abawsiory in Pasadena” Tho SIRC tae released by JPLINASA in 1994 vas secmpanied by the following statment: "Lot iy ft Ubae Ths i aida image ofthe tion arta the logy of Ubar in Souther Oman, ome Arabs Pe insula The ancient cy Was scovered in 1982 with the 1d of remove seusing data. Archeoogiss believe Ubar ‘ried fom about 2800 BC to about 300 AD and was ‘emote dest outpost ee caravans were assembled forthe anspor of fitkincemescrm he deert Map og of thee wack cn eons! emote ering images tas ke to recognizing the ste of Uber ie 1992. THs image and engoing fe investigation, wil help shed Tight oa 8 Hele known cvianion” NASA's mann: etton has aca bee noted (Edgell 2002: 183, [NASA® Obsentoram rlesed a misloding Ie net aries 1995 cotited “The Search fr Ubu. How Reqote Setsing Helped Find a Lost Cig" (NASA. 19984: 1-7), followed by e Teachers Guide on “Ubar ‘The Lost Cay" NASA 1995-4) for teen 0 ipltcnsyarold wets A Father PLNASA aicle aided "The Novvo-Los: City of Ubu” appered at 1996 (of 1995: 1-7). ‘Avsecon! popuise book about Ubar by Nicolae Clapp (1998) gives an accout ofthe Tensarsia Ex. pedtion, which be coed, bur incodss ¢.munimal Shoat on archeology. The team lio comprised Flenes, “Helgs, Blom OPLNASA) and Zig Clapp tary sara wth he “lacovery nthe tng ton Libary of tesonsinaction dated AD 1460, of Phlemy's up of AD 150 showing Ona Eopori (Clapp Lainie for of Paley: Omonan omarion uevov cunepiy) and a distit of th arie (who Clapp presumes vote de peuple of Ubu) The Zotartat acd Ononon enporion, appear on her eeonsaced mags such a8 in Coumoyrephis (Prolenaeas 1966: map nthe Watican Ciba, Rome (Fg, 10) Along 1145 wel noon that Pilea oaly’ se he Cam ee _porion for cont! Wading tm on tara n Dhar {2 199, the en irmedtly wet nnd othe wal own teks, visited by Thora in 1930 and Palg s 1953 and 1986, using GPS, The Wack disapeared be cath hgh sad dees sith no sins of sneer, 50 the corse 190k souvent to Shmuel ‘ad oatetioe inthe stony na of nein Oho, an 170 kn south west of he sappsed locaton of Urn Ramlat Stayt Hee they excavated ous of old wale around the sinha an, lates, dob ethin the sikbole. An em ‘lojure measur 86 x 651m was arcoversd, pts ofna UCU 6. The sinha ot Shs the Middle Een Danan Formation, looking nares ds he Vile ond lop othe water te air (Photograph by WS Edel. 1955) sity of Uta pointing out that mediaeval Arsh ers {trem AD 7000 1200 refer to Wabar or Uber as broad lr in suthers Arabia or ax the mame of the people at inhabited at and 1953. 259-2685), T1884, the author went 19 Dhoir and was flown cover the stern Rab sLKBST¥6 obser the “Rood 6 Uae ote! by Thomas i 1930. He wat oe of Foot seas involved in mapping 110,000 kn of Dot, ‘aking the frst detailed map ofthe rion (Edgell & Hetzel 1956). We were cen ot Shs [Shi (Fie 627), a small snkhwle exposing the Mile Bocene Dammact Aguier (Edgell 2001: 626, fi. 11) vith seme aeient crumbled walls inthe sony dest, or md Streenirwcstrn Doar claimed by Femmes (992) ad Clipp (1988) 10 be We sie of We chy of Stewart Edge FIGURE 7. An acral photograph ef the sale ck Shs Nee he wash waces of od wale area he snl (RAF air photograph 1939). Ubar This sao ha ho bee claimed 10 be Yona cllspsed dome fom whose bite emates 9 permanent Spring” Zaras 19974 658), but this is geclogclly Fcorect. Groundee fom ihe Dammam Aquifer hs lsslved ovesing esto, cating the Last sink ole eolane and wade, poco which tl oF ‘in (Edel 2001; 622,636) ‘Weodell Pills stout again to discover Ubar 00 43nd Mare 1956, efer a previous acempton 26th Oe ber 1953. Ho uovellad nor-vest into the Ramla l- ‘itn sod dares with fowewhecl-dive vehicles Pi lips waits at we cate pon high of deply ext paral! camol wacks over 100 yds wide. They f!- Towed nomt-aothwest couse Four miles father ‘he nor the gacks entered the high sand ba as the ‘ges wore not comnuou i he ae we were able 3 Tollow the parle grooves ia the inarvening open spaces for another twenty mies" (1966: 28), The eds had ¢ Dewing of N 75° W within mouaiows 240 meh sand des. ‘On 26th March 1988, Nicolas Clapp, George‘he myth ofthe Mot iy ofthe Arabian Sae™ ARABIAN SEA Ficune $4 Tocaly map of Dhofor. (Based on Landas MSS Band 7 tog). sled wa th cy of he wicked King of Ad desoyed by fe from heaven Phil collected lage lamp of if and ore lag fom ti aie al-Hadh, wich be ‘submited 10 the Bish Museum. Speer detebed the ‘Spccimes a maa oma large ton meleone (1933. 365-169). On being slow the Bnckenal meteorite rts, Philly dasaed, "Sot was Wabat, dhe ey of ‘he wished king (Ad ba Kina) deny fie for eaten and thenceformad inhabied only by some ‘uman menomenbranous: monsters [ocr 4 at ay)" (1938a: 13). Philby Ba heard seo fm the [Bedouin of the mint of an ancien city caled Wabar as cely as 1019, He wntes "The are Wabar comes fom ‘Se-lasical aged adit applied o hee alas the Enpiy Quarter bythe town dnelers on is trnges, 0b, for isance t Wadh Dama ad i the Has, bt the ‘Bedsuie proper, who know the rames well enough ‘om thei poems and lege, donot weit of he rains tough they ra no doub hat the rmmors at Hadise so represent the ancient cy of King “Adin Kina ‘0 oler rie found nth dees” 2), Thomas als deied te exstonee oF estStewart Bagel ‘GEOLOGICAL GRRONOLORN] ‘eroct [IN YEARS — Mots AND OTHER GEOGRAPHERS ero ram | eo crnun vovocene [sar prise ea Hi Sima a ae | ee SKU AL RAL TASAD POSTS sane er] wae. | gia, | Raa wae, Hise [fen Sassntat on vaste Tana —| suum coo 05-1 iras_| sanguine om oa | tas “a ncaa ie jam [nan | sworcanearcun ame eos SAGAR [ruwscea [om tans sane tive [inser [a aan [sa TOT isa amrng [sexo nena ‘i Tea oe AR faeces mf ra accaen—1 unstoc ie ANY —t rene Foam. mum] LOUWAN TOOLS. a0 at jan | MR” | Pa RRR iene | 38" | li. puocee | Stem” PUUVAL | Gravis iN WALLA HLL rcunt 4 4 provision! chronolog of Quaternary climate ad evn in the Ru ob Kha dour! ond suraenings. Revie from Edel 1990The myth ofthe st ety of the Arbon Sands” IGURE 2. “Uni Hncar nes onthe ‘Unig a Mari Each nes from 078 he oon wide and over 100 m high Balad Lanta). 3 ofthe Uni a-Mictariah. Tho ancon dames ae upto 270 m high amd about | Ronnie, thm barcharson the witward de (Enlarge Lande age).106, Stewart Eg FIGURE L.A local map of the Ruby a-Khat desert, sae 8,500 00, (Goi from USCS geological map, 2001, DDS-623}.Proeeing oft Seria for Arabi Subs 342004) 18-120 ‘The myth of the "lost city of the Arabian Sands" 1H, STEWART EDGELL, Introduction The idea of lost ity ured neath th snd dues of the Arabian desore nas fcorey atribued to TE. Layrone ty OSteu (1937. 180-181), bat bth Paley (1930, 19°38) ad Thomas (1932) kaw of en Arab legend of 2 lost sty ealled Wabar o¢ Ubar win dhe ‘Rub al Kat dese. "There canbe litle or no dou. thot the legendary iy of the sons, refered nthe tdawics ex Witdr or Aubir and i diets! wage (Gear or Ott, isons ar not many" (Phby 1933 150). Aner eentoning Ubar in hit Arabia Folie in 10932, Thoms sed tht there never as "Las Cy oF Uae” (1933), le Pily nto °So ar at he Rub 2 Kai is consred it i myth and no ore” 19855: 15). ‘The Quaternary history of the [Ruby a-KhaM versus a "lost city” in the ‘Arabian Sands ‘The 600,000? RK descr (Fig 1) lary of very aciect org, Ie huge neat stod dares of “wag, commonly 100 mor more high end ofa over 150 nm individual ength (Fg 2) ave accused singe the lt one fared thousand yeas he Le Pstoeene and my have bogus forming nine handed ‘howard year ago. The lent trasivere megibarchans ‘lhe Udy ae tras (ig 3) ar upto 270 gh ‘hove interue coor and dae ack the Midie Plestooene, There nove Seen ntrmaten pivil phase im the Qunierery history ofthe Rat oF KR, cr Emory Quite Tac oe sgniemt wet itenal, been ‘lpeten thousand and thiy-treethosand yrs ago, formed many intesine kee ia te RU al KAA 26 nell as 9 welldevloped érunage sem to 0 Parsi Gal which bad eon emptied by » (-m lowering of sea fevel Edgell 1950; 122, 6g. 16). The lest luv sna the "Neolthie Wet Pha frm si one thow Sand yeas go (Fig 4), men kes vis between ‘Bier nthe nathenter Reb? aLKAT, Doing las six thousand year be pty Quarts tas bee con tinuously sadare desert, presenting shes ewe ronment where no cy coal hive been bull Thee ae ‘bo prospects of hee ever having bess legendary cy Callad Ubar (or Waba) within the RUD aFKHET, 0 ‘Arabian Sand, “Thre are traces of previously clad felds near wun te a Shiga aoa on the nother ee of the Rut? alKhal? some kom soa of Ib were Tul of te Early ro Age occur. Well bl orbs have beso observed ie RemlatalSabatym (halt 1998-375), at Ruwayg, "Alam Aya umd“ Ashe sed ioclae ture mis (de Maiget 2002: 62, 336) Dee daca those w bfore he hed millenia, rrr ing thal they probably represent the "Kedat Na” eu tafe (1983 83), but the ne bay eles, cxly Be sopolioes, ‘Twentieth-century accounts of Ubar or Wabar Ir yas Bertram Thomas book Arabic Fels (1992), ‘which spaced western iatrest in Ubu. He reported ‘reounarng broad camel wacks in te Ramin Bin, nthe soem alg othe Rub: alt dao, being {he fist European fo erst this Tooridable desert fom ‘Sai, Dhof. (Fg. 3) in 1930-1951, Bedoun oe comparing Thomas ew his ection fo "wear (raha, abouts handed ards neon seston, gen the plain The bore 328, proximately Is. 18" 48°N, Jing, 52°30, onthe serge ofthe sand” The Arabs sid Ther ithe Rood to Uar [ewan a grea cy our fathers hve ol sth exisied of oi etch ‘ease, with dove gardens and a for of red silver [gold It now Le acd beneath the sands ia We Famlat Sh'at (see Fig], some Few days to the on (Thomas 1982: 16 "Afr his Rub shal expadion ia 1932, Poy sought forthe legendary city of Uber and Bedouin a= emparying him showed hie five Macken raters Sic they called Webar (19834. 12). This, they de