The vast expanse of the African desert has long been a source of intrigue and adventure. Ancient historians told legends of curious tribes amidst the merciless landscape and formidable armies swallowed by the sands. As riveting as these legends may be, none are so captivating as the enigmatic lost city of Zerzura .
Known as the “Oasis of Little Birds,” its inhabitants were enchanting, and its treasure, abounding. For centuries, stories had been told of precarious travelers stumbling upon it, but searching the inhospitable desert for its existence would only prove futile. During the early 20th century, as technological advancements brought a renewed interest in the unknown, Zerzura seemed to be the topic on every explorer, archaeologist, and scholar’s tongue.
One by one, they took to the sands, in hopes to finally solve this mystery. Origins of a Legend In 1481, a disheveled man walked into Benghazi intent on speaking with the emir. Once in his presence, the man, who called himself Hamid Keila, told the emir an extraordinary tale.
Some months prior, Keila was traveling with a group through the desert headed for the oases of Dakhla and Khaga , west of the Nile River. Their journey came to a sudden halt as a violent sandstorm erupted. Blinded and unable to breathe, the men slowly began to succumb to the sands.
Fortunately, Keila found refuge beneath a dead camel, saving himself from certain death. After the sands subsided, Kiela emerged to find the landscape virtually unre.