8vo. xviii, [1], 606 pp., photogravure frontispiece portrait, half title, 1 large colour folding map at rear (small tear across in middle, does not affect the map view), 15 plates, contemporary gilt cloth, gilt edges, binding slightly worn, re-backed retaining original spine, tables, appendices, index, Bookplate of Dr. Henry R. Maurer verso front cover, ink inscription on front fly leaf, scattered foxing, otherwise copy clean & in good condition, Trubner & Co., London, first edition, 1878.

Synopsis

Charles Tilstone Beke (1800-1874) was an explorer who published several papers in the Imperial Magazine and other periodicals concerning biblical and archaeological research. His first work of importance entitled, Origines Biblicae, or Researches in Primeval History was published in 1834. His object was to establish the theory of the fundamental tripartite division of the languages of mankind, from which had arisen all existing languages and dialects.
The present work contains the narrative of an expedition to north-western Arabia, undertaken at the commencement of 1874, by Dr Charles Beke. Beke’s journey lasted three months and eleven days. He returned to England announcing his discovery of the capital of Midian at the same time as Richard Burton had gone to make further explorations in the area. Beke undertook the journey when he was 73 years old. He believed that the true Mount Sinai was in Saudi Arabia (Mt. Barghir). He was an archaeologist, biblical historian and traveller who explored Abyssinia in 1840-43, and Syria and Palestine in 1861-62. Mrs. Beke, who edited this work, had previously written summary of the late Dr. Beke’s published works, 1876.
Bibliographic reference: Blackmer 109.