The Nabataeans: Masters of the Desert, Water, and Trade
The Nabataeans built a civilization on the brink of the impossible – in the desert, without rivers, thanks to their genius and commercial prowess. Where others saw only dust and rocks, they saw opportunity. Amidst the inhospitable landscape of the Arabian deserts, they created a network of cities, temples, and caravan routes connecting the Orient with the Mediterranean. Who were these mysterious masters of water and fragrances? How did they manage to control the flow of frankincense, myrrh, and spices – while remaining nearly invisible for centuries? Join us for an engaging narrative on the border of history, archaeology, and adventure – featuring rich visuals, maps, and stories that will stay in your memory.

Lukáš Kubín – an orientalist, historian, and passionate traveler who has long been dedicated to popularizing history within a broad cultural context. He studied in Prague, Nagoya (Japan), and at the University of Oxford, where he specialized in Islamic art and architecture; he also completed study stays at the University of Cambridge. In his lectures, he bridges academic erudition with personal travel experiences, gastronomy, and questions of identity and values in today’s rapidly changing world.

What can you look forward to?
🔍 Discover the fascinating world of the Nabataeans – a mysterious nation that tamed the desert and dominated the trade routes of the ancient world.
🏛 Peer into the heart of Petra – a city carved into the rock, where beauty meets ingenuity.
💧 Decipher their secrets of water – how to survive in an inhospitable desert without rivers.
📦 Uncover why the Nabataeans were considered "invisible giants" of trade between Arabia and Rome.
🎨 Explore how their architecture, script, and art influenced the entire region.
⚔️ Examine their fall and the legacy that survives in both ruins and legends.
🍸 Refreshment break (approx. 15 minutes).

🎞️ Screening of the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989),
starring Harrison Ford. (127 minutes, English with Czech subtitles).