DUBAI: National Geographic’s latest documentary “Lost Treasures of Arabia: The Nabataean Kingdom” — available to stream on Disney+ from Aug. 29 — puts the spotlight on one of the ancient world’s most innovative and mysterious desert civilizations.
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From the sandstone facades of Petra, Jordan, and the tombs of Hegra in Saudi Arabia, the documentary investigates how the Nabataeans defied nature and time by mastering desert trade routes, engineering complex water systems, and developing an urban culture so advanced it rivalled the greatest empires of their time.
Saudi archaeologist Dr. Dhaifallah Altalhi, dean emeritus of arts, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia, and former co-director of the Mada’in Salih Archaeological Project, who worked on the project, spoke with Arab News about why the Nabataeans continue to fascinate scholars and the public alike.
“I think the Nabataean is a great story. It’s a kingdom which flourished in the northwest of Arabia from the fourth century BC to the first century AD,” he said. “Besides the magnificent tombs and other archaeological artifacts, I think the Nabataeans also were great in their society. The women in this community had the right to ownership. They owned their own tombs. They had their own money. And the queen was also represented on coins beside the king.”
