Georg August Wallin

His qualifications have been compared to those of U. J. Seetzen and J. L. Burckhardt, because he has been characterized as an Arabian scholar as the first modern explorer to prepare carefully for his mission, with no intention of leaving anything new to be said to his future.

While many people believe Wallin converted to Islam, there is no proof to support this claim in his diaries and letters, and his writings rather indicate scepticism toward religion.

His third expedition in 1847 had been intended to explore the Wahhabi region of Najd, but on reaching Ha'il he realized that his identity as a Muslim had been compromised, so he turned north and travelled in Mesopotamia and Persia before returning via Baghdad and Damascus to Cairo in 1849.

By 1850, Wallin had returned to Europe, where the Royal Geographical Society published his Notes taken during a Journey through part of Northern Arabia and awarded him a 25 guinea prize in recognition of his ground-breaking research.

Wallin completed his doctoral thesis in 1851 and was subsequently appointed Professor of Oriental Literature at the University of Helsinki.

He was asked by both the Royal and Russian Geographical Societies to mount another expedition to the Middle East, but he declined, perhaps in part due to failing health.