Nicholas Clapp embarked on an archaeological expedition in 1983 to find the lost city of Ubar in Arabia, also known as "The Atlantis of the Sands". He was inspired by previous accounts of the city from Bertram Thomas and T.E. Lawrence. Using aerial radar technology, Clapp and his team were able to locate evidence of the ancient fortified city of Ubar in 1992, finding buildings, artifacts, and remnants of its once thriving frankincense trade from over 2000 years ago. Further exploration revealed clues linking the site to the biblical figures of the Queen of Sheba and the people of Prophet Hud mentioned in the Quran.

2. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 In 1983, Nicholas Clapp, an amateur
archeologist and the documentary
filmmaker embarked to South of Oman on a
mission to find the lost city in Arabia – called
Ubar.
 He was inspired by Bertram Thomas who
wrote Arabia Felix and T.E. Lawrence,
popularly known as Lawrence of Arabia, who
termed the lost city of Ubar as ‘The Atlantis
of the Sands’.
Archeological Expedition
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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4. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 “I would like to talk to someone about using
the Space Shuttle to look for a lost city.”
 One day, while leafing through a newspaper,
Clapp came across a story about how an
aerial radar system had located Mayan ruins
beneath the dense jungle in Central
America.
 An alliance was formed to help Clapp and
his team to re-discover the lost city in Arabia
– Ubar.
Archeological Expedition
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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5. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 The area in Magenta color is a region
of large sand dunes
 The prominent green areas are rough
lime stone rocks that form a major
rocky desert floor.
 A ‘Wadi’ or dry streambed, runs
across the middle and is shown in
white.
 The reddish streaks are the tracks
leading to the lost city. These tracks
have been used in modern times, but
field investigations showed many
were in use in ancient times as well.
COLOURFUL SATELLITE IMAGE - OBTAINED IN 1994
COVERED AREA OF ABOUT 50 BY 100 KM OF THE
ARABIAN PENINSULA
Satellite Imaging
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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6. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 In early 1992, evidence
began to emerge of an
octagonal fortified city
with 30 feet towers and
thick walls.
 Inside, were many buildings including store rooms,
frankincense burners, and pottery shards from various
regions were found dating back to about 2000 B.C.
 The city of Ubar has been known with various names: i.e.
Ubar, Irem, Wabar, etc.
Archeological Expedition
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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7. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 Buried under the sands
for centuries, Ubar was
once a city bustling with
life.
 The city was built some five millennia ago and it
quickly became a thriving commercial centre.
 The secret to Ubar’s prosperity was frankincense – a
commodity as precious as gold in the ancient world.
Ubar in Legends
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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8. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 Prepared from the sap of trees grown in the nearby Qara
Mountains, this sweet-smelling substance was widely used in
religious offerings, cremations and imperial processions, while
both nobles and commoners alike coveted it for its medicinal
benefits.
 So popular was frankincense
with the ancient people, that
even the Queen of Sheba is
said to have frequented the
Ubar region for supplies of the
precious substance, which she
then offered to King Solomon.
Frankincense – The Ancient Treasure
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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9. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
Frankincense – The Ancient Treasure
BBC 2 VIDEO – THE FRANKINCENSE TRAIL – OMAN, JORDAN AND SAUDI ARABIA

10. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 King Shaddad did not spare gold, silver, pearls, amber and other
precious commodities when building the city as he was trying to
recreate his idea of paradise.
 Certainly the myths
surrounding Ubar were
unparalleled.
 Ubar was a magnificent
kingdom, rich beyond measure
– the original city of ‘high walls
and towering pillars.’
Ubar in Legends
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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11. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
 According to ‘The Road to Ubar’ by Nicholas Clapp, he found two
tombs of Prophet Hud in the area. Tomb No. 1 is on the Omanese
side of the region, and the second on the Yemeni side.
Some Historical Facts
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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12. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
Some Historical Facts
 The sites of Prophet Hud’s
tombs suggest that the region
was habituated by the people
of Aad.
 The nation of Prophet Hud
(a.s.) vis. Aad have been
mentioned in 9 chapters of the
Quran.
 The Quran has referred to them
as the successors of Prophet
Nuh (a.s.).
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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13. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
Quranic Story of Prophet Hud and the People
of Aad
 “And to the Aad (We sent) their brother
Hud. He said, “O my people, worship
Allah, you have no deity other than
Him.” (11:50)
 They said, “O Hud, you have not
brought us clear evidence, and we are
not ones to leave our gods on your say-
so, nor are we believers in you.”
(11:53)
An imagining of Hud with the ʿĀd tribe, from an illuminated
manuscript collection of Stories of Prophets
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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14. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
Quranic Story of Prophet Hud and the People
of Aad
 “Do you construct on every elevation
a sign, amusing yourselves. And take
for yourselves palaces and fortresses
that you might abide eternally.”
(26:128-129)
 “And fear He who provided you with
that which you know. Provided you
with grazing livestock and children.
And gardens and springs.”
(26:132-134)
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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15. THE ATLANTIS OF THE SANDS
Quranic Story of Prophet Hud and the People
of Aad
 “Have you not considered
how your Lord dealt with Aad.
Of the (city of) Irem, with lofty
pillars. The like of which were
not produced in (all) the
land?
(89:6-8)
 “And the 'Ad, they were destroyed by a furious Wind,
exceedingly violent. Which Allah imposed upon them for seven
nights and eight days in succession, so you would see the
people therein fallen as if they were hollow trunks of palm
trees.” (69:6-7)
Shafin Verani – July 2013
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