Professor Ahmad Al-Jallad, the Sofia Chair of Arabic Studies, recently gave a TEDx Talk titled From History to Myth, and Back Again.

Why do myths of lost worlds, like Atlantis, fascinate us? Can there be a kernel of truth at their core? Many would love to believe so. Join Dr. Ahmad Al-Jallad as he guides us through ancient Arabian myth in the historic search for the legendary people of ʿĀd and their lost city of Iram. Recent archaeological and epigraphic discoveries bring us face to face with a civilization long thought to be stuff of fairytales. Ahmad Al-Jallad is a professor of ancient languages and cultures of Arabia and the Near East. He deciphers archaic texts to better understand a lost world. 

Watch the talk here: https://youtu.be/VCmE-cmnEjo?si=1hEkdEvqJD07GSi4