In Search of King Solomon''s Mines

For more than a century Henry Rider Haggard''s novel King Solomon''s Mines has inspired generations of young men to set forth in search of adventure. But long before Rider Haggard''s classic, explorers, theologians and scientists scoured the known world for the source of Solomon''s astonishing wealth.

The Bible''s wisest king built a temple at Jerusalem that was said to be more fabulous than any other landmark in the ancient world. Adorned with an abundance of gold, it was said to be gleaned from a mysterious land known as ''Ophir''.

Taking his leads from a mixture of texts including the Septuagint, the earliest known form of the Bible, as well as using geological, geographical and folkloric sources, Tahir Shah sets out in search for Solomon''s gold mines. For him the obvious place to look is Ethiopia, the ancient and enigmatic realm nestled in the horn of Africa.

The ensuing journey takes Shah to a remote cliff-face monastery where the monks pull visitors up on a leather rope, to the ruined castles of Gondar, and to the fabulous rock-hewn churches at Lalibela.

Then, in the south of the country, Shah discovers a massive illegal gold mine. Like something out of the Old Testament, there are thousands of men, women and children digging at the ground with their bare hands.

In Search of King Solomon''s Mines is regarded as a masterpiece of adventure, its twisting narrative itself touched with gold.