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Much of the world knows Petra, the ancient ruin in modern-day Jordan that is celebrated in poetry as 'the rose-red city, half as old as time'.
But far fewer know Madain Saleh, a similarly spectacular treasure built by the same civilisation, the Nabateans.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has opened up an archaeology boom by allowing archaeologists to explore long lost cities and trade routes in the desert.
The authorities are gradually acquainting the Saudi public with the idea of exploring the past. After years of being closed off, 2,000-year-old Madain Saleh is Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open to tourists.
State media now mentions discoveries as well as the kingdom's little known antiquities museums.
"It's already a really big change," said Christian Robin, a leading archaeologist who is currently working in the south western region of Najran.
