2016 • 26' • French, English & Neutral Spanish
Director(s): Agnes Molia & Camille Robert • Producer(s): Tournez S'il Vous Plait • Coproducer(s): ARTE • Format(s): HD
In the Hijaz desert, in the north-west of Saudi Arabia, lies a mysterious ancient city called Hegra. Until recently, the site had never been thoroughly excavated.
In this region, considered to be one of the most arid in the world, ancient people have left their mark, carving hundreds of tombs into the rock. These vestiges are the signature of a legendary people called the Nabataeans.
Lost in the middle of the desert, this lost necropolis had fallen into oblivion until UNESCO listed the site as World Heritage in 2008, prompting the Saudi government to launch major excavations.
A team of Franco-Saudi archaeologists are now shedding light on these forgotten pre-Islamic vestiges. When and why did this city emerge in the middle of the desert? How powerful was it? And why was it abandoned? Scientists are finally able to answer these questions...
