In the Hedjaz plain of Saudi Arabia, in the midst of a lunar landscape, an astonishing sight is to be found: huge tombs carved in rocky peaks, very similar to those found at the famous site of Petra, Jordan. Closed to visitors for several decades, Medain Saleh will at last reveal its mysteries.
It was from here, over 2000 years ago, that the camel carvans set out, bound for Petra, the capital city, laden with incense and spices for the ports of the Mediterranean. More than just a necropolis, Medain Saleh was home to a very active population. But what do we really know about the Nabateans, a people of caravan traders who reigned over a land extending from Saudi Arabia to South Syria?
In the Fall of 2002, a multidisciplinary archaeological mission led by Jean-Marie Dentzer and Laila Nehmee will be able for the first time gto excavate the Medain Saleh site.
Thanks to exclusive images, the film follows the exciting investigation led by researchers looking for new signs to help us understand a civilization largely unknown to the general public although it dominated Arabia for several centuries.
- Direction: BERNARD GEORGE
- Production: GEDEON PROGRAMMES
