Saudi Arabia, the Desert Crossing (Exclusive Discovery of a Forgotten Ancient City)

In this episode, we depart from Najran, traveling directly from Riyadh along a 950-km road that cuts through the heart of the Rub' al Khali, one of the world's largest deserts, covering 650,000 square kilometers—an immense territory roughly the size of metropolitan France. Along the way, we make our first stop at Bir Hima, one of Saudi Arabia's most famous archaeological sites due to its hundreds of petroglyphs. Thanks to its freshwater springs, the site was also known for its wells and was an important stop on the caravan route from Najran. The wells are believed to be 7,000 years old. Difficult to access, we are among the few tourists who have been able to admire the wonders of the site, which includes not only rock art but also very long ancient inscriptions in Musnad or Thamudic, the ancient script of southern Arabia. Leaving the Bir Hima site, we once again encountered dromedaries, another opportunity to admire these majestic camelids accustomed to the presence of humans. Next, we headed towards the archaeological site of Qaryat Al Faw. Located 700 kilometers southwest of Riyadh, this site is one of the most important archaeological sites in the kingdom. Uninhabited for centuries, the site was only rediscovered in the 1940s and first visited in 1952. Excavations began in 1972, and the site remains under the supervision of King Saud University. We thank Dr. Ajab Mohammed Al-Otibi, without whom we would not have been able to visit this incredible site. For more information: Qaryat Al Faw: http://www.saudiarabiatourismguide.co... (English) https://destinationksa.com/qaryat-al-... (English) Bi'r Hima: http://saudi-archaeology.com/sites/bi... (English) https://www.richardwilding.com/portfo... (English) http://sa.deadcityradio.org/horses/le... Agriculture in the desert: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1e/d5/... National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/ne... Rub al-khali desert: https://www.lepoint.fr/voyages/rub-al... https://www.easyvoyage.com/arabie-aou... #Birhima #QaryatAlFaw #SaudiArabia #InArabia #VisitSaudi #Rubalkhali