The Manchester Ancient Egypt Society new season begins on 14^th September with an exploration of the Egyptian Sahara! Everyone welcome. Free for MAES members (find out more about joining here:) by email link. Guests welcome – tickets £5 via Eventbrite. Doors open at our new (later) time of 7:45pm (GMT+1) and the lecture begins at 8pm.

Mahmoud Marai: The Lost Kingdom of Yam: Mysteries of the Egyptian Sahara

For more than a century, the location of the Kingdom of Yam has remained one of ancient Egypt’s greatest archaeological mysteries. Described in the autobiography of Harkhuf, Governor of Elephantine during the Sixth Dynasty, Yam was portrayed as a powerful kingdom beyond Egypt’s southern frontier, yet its true location continues to be the subject of scholarly debate.

This lecture follows the search for Yam through the remarkable history of exploration in Egypt’s Western Desert, from the pioneering expeditions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to recent archaeological discoveries and field research. Drawing upon more than two decades of exploration, it examines the ancient caravan routes, royal inscriptions, and remote archaeological sites that are gradually reshaping our understanding of Egypt’s relationship with its distant desert neighbours.

Mahmoud Marai was born and raised in Egypt. A seasoned desert explorer, Mahmoud has led numerous expeditions across the Sahara and Egypt’s Western Desert. Together with fellow explorers, he has contributed to significant discoveries and published research on the prehistoric civilisations of the Sahara. His work earned him recognition as a Fellow International Member of The Explorers Club in the United States. He is also a member of the Egyptian Geographical Society, and the author of two Arabic books chronicling his journeys and explorations across Egypt’s Western Desert.