Photograph Identification: P-44414Ubar, Oman
This is a radar image of the region around the site of the lostcity of Ubar in southern Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula. The ancient city wasdiscovered in 1992 with the aid of remote sensing data. Archeologists believe Ubar existed from about 2800 B.C. to about 300 A.D. and was a remote desertoutpost where caravans were assembled for the transport of frankincense acrossthe desert. This image was acquired on orbit 65 of space shuttle Endeavour onApril 13, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic ApertureRadar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The SIR-C image shown is centered at 18.4 degrees northlatitude and 53.6 degrees east longitude. The image covers an area about 50 by100 kilometers (31 miles by 62 miles). The image is constructed from three ofthe available SIR-C channels and displays L-band, HH (horizontal transmit andreceive) data as red, C-band HH as blue, and L-band HV (horizontal transmit,vertical receive) as green. The prominent magenta colored area is a region oflarge sand dunes, which are bright reflectors at both L- and C-band. Theprominent green areas (L-HV) are rough limestone rocks, which form a rockydesert floor. A major wadi, or dry stream bed, runs across the middle of theimage and is shown largely in white due to strong radar scattering in allchannels displayed (L and C HH, L-HV). The actual site of the fortress of thelost city of Ubar, currently under excavation, is near the Wadi close to thecenter of the image. The fortress is too small to be detected in this image. However, tracks leading to the site, and surrounding tracks, appear asprominent, but diffuse, reddish streaks. These tracks have been used in moderntimes, but field investigations show many of these tracks were in use inancient times as well. Mapping of these tracks on regional remote sensingimages was a key to recognizing the site as Ubar in 1992. This image, andongoing field investigations, will help shed light on a little known early civilization.
![[UBAR COMPOSITE]](UBARCOMP.GIF)