Arabian Adventures the Secrets of the Nabateans my new series for the BBC is out now. This is a slightly different blog as I am sharing the Press Release with you. Episode 1 is here on iPlayer.

Explorer Alice Morrison goes on Arabian Adventures for BBC News to discover the secrets of the ancient empire of the Nabataeans

Explorer, adventurer, author and TV presenter Alice Morrison travels to Jordan and Saudi Arabia on a quest to reveal the secrets of a forgotten ancient civilisation of The Nabataeans, as well as meeting people who are thriving in its remarkable landscape today, in a new 2-part series titled Arabian Adventures airing on the BBC News channel and iPlayer (episode 1 here) from Saturday 1 June.

In this series, Alice’s own adventure is to uncover their secrets by visiting places to tell the spectacular story of the Nabataeans, the desert-dwelling nomads turned master merchants, who controlled the incense and spice trade routes through these ancient lands to the Mediterranean, Egypt, Syria and Mesopotamia from the 4th century B.C. to the 1st century A.D until the expansion of the Roman Empire subsumed much of their culture.

Episode one sees Alice begin her journey in the ancient trading centre of Petra, crowned as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Here the Nabataeans carved exquisite buildings, theatres and grandiose tombs out of solid sandstone rock. She discovers their secret skills in architecture and engineering.

In Episode two Alice journeys south and across the border into Saudi Arabia. Following ancient trade-routes she heads towards one of the world’s few oases; AlUla. This was the Nabataean’s second city, Hegra, established as their influence spread. The archaeological site of Hegra has only recently opened up to the world and is now host to an international team of experts making new discoveries about every aspect of who the Nabataeans were and how they lived. Here Alice explores tombs, uncovers an ancient buried city and even comes face to face with a Nabataean.

Alice Morrison, presenter of Arabian Adventures said: “This has been a fascinating voyage of discovery. The Nabateans are the greatest civilisation you’ve never heard of. From digging in sandy tombs, to using the latest technology to reconstruct an actual Nabatean women, I’ve been delving into their deepest secrets.

“What I didn’t expect when I started investigating the Nabateans was to find that women played such a prominent role in society. It was a delight to have that all explained to me by  one of the new generation of Saudi women, Wedad Yaseen.”

Broadcast Times

Episode 2 of Arabian Adventures airs on BBC News channel at the following times (GMT)

All times are in GMT so you have to convert 

Sat 8 June

0130 GMT (UK only)

0730 GMT (international)

Sun 9 June

1430 GMT (international)

2130 GMT (international)

Episode 1 is on iPlayer for Uk audiences. Click here https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m00203rj/arabian-adventures
Episode 2 will be on iPlayer from 9 June – search for Arabian Adventures: Secrets of the Nabateans

If you would like some behind the scenes stories – check out the podcast, Alice in wAnderland series 04 Episode 05, wherever you get yours and here on Apple and there are lots of pictures on my Instagram

And please do have a look at my books, if you like adventures, camels, bikes, history and meeting people then I think (hope) you’ll like them too.