Mysterious black objects in Saudi Arabia appear to have fallen from the sky

2024-06-13 2024-06-13T13:36:41Z

Weather of Arabia - When you see these black shapes spread across the desert landscape in the Saudi city of Al-Ula, you may momentarily think that they have fallen from the sky, but in reality they mimic strange objects that puzzled an ancient explorer in the Sultanate of Oman. What is her story?

In the 1930s, British explorer Harry St. John Philby crossed a vast area of the Rub al-Khali desert in search of the ruins of an ancient city known as “Atlantis of the Sands.” Philby had heard stories about a great civilization that flourished there, where palaces and castles were built, and its inhabitants lived a luxurious life.

According to ancient beliefs, the city was destroyed and all that remained were burnt black pearls, which were used as necklaces for the women who lived there.

Although Philby's journey was arduous and exhausting, he finally succeeded in reaching the site of the city. There, the British explorer was surprised that there were no ancient ruins, and he found only several huge craters in the ground, which he thought were volcanic.

Philby was very disappointed. Before returning home, he picked up some black “beads” scattered on the ground, and showed them to a specialist at the British Museum in London. The specialist then told him that these “pearls” were actually meteorites from outer space. Philby called them “pearls and wells.” Named after the “Ubar” website where he found it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Monira Al Qadiri (@moniraism)

“WABAR” is a project by artist Munira Al Qadiri

Kuwaiti artist Munira Al-Qadiri inspired her project “WABAR,” meaning “W.A.B.A.R.”, from the idea of these mysterious pearls. The project consists of sculptures made of hollow cast bronze with a black and shiny patina layer, inspired by real meteorites.

These sculptures were placed in a desert environment to appear as if they had fallen from the sky. Al-Qadiri said:

“I wanted to evoke the same feelings of wonder and mystery that people felt when they first encountered pearls.”

Throughout the day, the sculptures reflect the surrounding environment, making them look completely different all the time. These artworks have received great admiration from the artist’s followers on social media, noting that there are many historical stories that people do not know.

The lost city of Ubar

For many centuries, the story of the lost city of Ubar remained one of the biggest mysteries of the Middle East, according to the Omani Ministry of Tourism. Researchers date the construction of this city back to 5,000 years ago, and it played a prominent role in the past. The mystery of Ubar has captured the minds of explorers and archaeologists throughout the past centuries.

Since the 1930s, several expeditions have been launched in search of the city, and the search continued until late 1991. These expeditions used the US Space Agency for satellite photography, where an entire city was discovered buried under the sand.

"W.A.B.A.R" in Saudi Arabia

Al-Qadiri’s work was unveiled at the “Desert

According to the “Experience Al Ula” website, the creators participating in the third season searched for hidden meanings in the picturesque nature, and secrets hidden among the majestic desert terrain, and their innovative vision was embodied in a collection of artistic works hosted by three charming destinations in Al Ula.