Between the mid-18th and early 19th centuries, European explorers launched expeditions across the Middle East and North Africa, collecting scientific data and offering new perspectives on these regions. Funded by European governments, institutions and individuals, these missions were driven by a mix of scientific curiosity and imperial ambitions—political, cultural and commercial. Many of these journeys were later published in Europe as travelogues, documenting the explorers’ remarkable experiences.

One of these travelogues was A Description of the East and Some Other Countries, authored by Richard Pococke and published in 1743. The Heritage Library is fortunate to have a first edition copy of this work – along with Pococke’s preserved collection of desert plants – and in this lecture attendees will gain valuable insights from our guest expert speaker about this travelogue and Pococke’s herbarium.

The event will begin with a general introduction and overview by Yousef H. Al-Ansari, Information Services Librarian – Foreign Print Materials at QNL's Heritage Library, followed by the main lecture delivered by Dr. Jan Marten Ivo Klaver, Professor of English Literature and Culture at the University of Urbino.

Dr. Jan Marten Ivo Klaver is the author of Geology and Religious Sentiment; The Effect of Geological Discoveries on English Society and Literature between 1829 and 1859 (Brill, 1997), The Apostle of the Flesh: A Critical Life of Charles Kingsley (Brill, 2006), and Scientific Expeditions to the Arab World 1761–1881 (OUP, 2009).

The event will be conducted online via Zoom.

Date: 18 June 2025

Time: 5:00 - 6:30 PM

Language: English with Arabic interpretation

Target Audience: Public

Seats are limited, please click the button below to register.