Camels on the road near the ruins of Semua in the Holy Land

The scene depicts Roberts' party travelling toward Jerusalem past the ruins of Semua, between Wadi Musa and Hebron, during his travels in the Holy Land in 1839. Presumably the work can be dated to 16 March of that year - as per the date given for the work in Haghe's lithograph. The Rev. George Croly in his text to accompany Roberts' drawings notes the mention of the neighbourhood of Semua in the bible in Joshua, 15:58. He goes on to state 'The ground around Semua is strewed with massy stones, the remains of vast and ancient buildings, the only portion of which left standing is a tower, which lends a singularly beautiful effect to the central view, as seen in this sketch' (D.Roberts, op. cit. p. 18.)