S1997 E1 • In Search of Lawrence

In order to probe the reality behind the Lawrence of Arabia myth, and test the veracity of T E Lawrence's account of his wartime exploits in `The Seven pillars of wisdom', writer and explorer Michael Asher retraces the footsteps of Lawrence, using the same methods of transport, equipment and resources Lawrence would have used in his day. This takes Asher and his Arab companion - a Bedouin descendant of Lawrence's great tribal ally, Auda bu Tayi of the Howeitat - through the deepest deserts in the Middle East to the coast of Jordan. Along the way they find, still untouched from Lawrence's day, remnants of his work, campaigns and life, including Turkish military trains that he destroyed through his guerrilla war tactics.

Première diffusion : 6 juin 1997