Road to Ubar: Finding the Atlantis of the Sands

The lost city of Ubar, the most fabled of ancient Arabia, thriving centre of the frankincense trade, has fascinated explorers and archaeologists for hundreds of years, and eluded them all. Legend has it that the city, like Sodom and Gomorrah, was destroyed by God as punishment for the wicked ways of the inhabitants, and buried without trace. Clapp learned the story of Ubar while filmmaking in Saudi Arabia, and on his return to America set about solving the mystery. With a unique blend of modern and ancient research, from sophisticated navigation technology and specially requested NASA satellite photography to errors in translations of Ptolemy, Clapp brilliantly pieced together the evidence from his detective work. Returning to Arabia, he found and excavated the lost city of Ubar-30 foot walls, eight towers, artefacts over 4000 years old, and solved the ancient mystery of its sudden and dramatic demise. Beautifully written, The Road to Ubar is in the best tradition of heroic discovery, and a fascinating glimpse into Ancient Arabia.

About the Author :
Birthplace: USA; Current residence: USA; Qualifications (including significant previous publications); Nicholas Clapp, a noted documentary filmmaker, has lectured on Ubar at the National Geographic Society, Brown University, The University of California at Los Angeles, the California Institute of Technology and the Godard Space Centre.

Review :
'The Road to Ubar is the ultimate tale of the shrewd investigative work that goes into solving the greatest of all mysteries-an archaeological mystery. A remarkable adventure in finding the past.' Clive Cussler, reviewing the American edition. '... Captivating story of documentary filmmaker Clapp's search for the lost, fabled city of Ubar ... A stupendous archaeological achievement ... Clapp's ability to conjure the power of a mythological landscape drives this book.' Kirkus; 'Like Indiana Jones, Clapp is as comfortable in the library as in reconnaissance helicopters or on the sands, and his efforts to separate myth from possible reality make for a gripping intellectual adventure ... an engaging story of the excitement of discovery, of a mystery solved and of the spirit of adventure.' Publishers Weekly; 'delightfully readable ... lots of comic verve ...' New York Times; 'This book joyfully describes what happens when work and travel fuse into a bona fide mission ... Clapp's contagious enthusiasm blazes through his prose ... a masterful storyteller.' Los Angeles Times; 'Nicholas Clapp's triumphant discovery of ancient Ubar melds the latest space technology with state-of-the-art archaeology in a remote land. This beautifully written, at times very funny, archaeological detective story is in the best tradition of heroic discovery.' Brian Fagan, professor of anthropology, University of California; '... Nicholas Clapp has captured all the excitement and joy of archaeology. The lost city of Ubar comes to life in this vivid and compelling account of the rediscovery of the lost city of Arabia. Not only does the author successfully narrate the story of its identification through satellite imagery, but he also brings to life its ancient civilisation in the form of the actual excavation ... a fascinating glimpse into ancient Arabia.' Eric M. Meyers, professor, Duke University; 'With its balance of intrigue, humour, and detail, The Road to Ubar reads like a mystery novel. During the unfolding search for one of civilisation's oldest cities, Nicholas Clapp's story of treasures hidden in the sands becomes a treasure of its own.' Delia and Mark Owens, authors of Cry of the Kalahari and The Eye of the Elephant; 'It's a cracking story. The search itself is absorbing and so are the details of it ... The book is, I should say, decently scholarly, with copious footnotes, appendices and bibliography. This scholarship is, however, always worn with a light touch and a self-deprecating smile.' Tim Heald, Literary Review