Al Hijr

Al Hijr is a Nabataean site in northwestern Saudi Arabia with a spectacular collection of rock cut tombs. The  Saudis hate to talk about the pre-Islamic past of their country, so they have limited access to the site. Now, according to AFP, they are allowing a limited number of tourists to visit and explore the tombs.

The site, also known as Madain Saleh, dates to between 200 BCE and 100 CE. The Nabataean seem to have been desert nomads who got rich controlling the trade route from Yemen to the Mediterranean, creating a high culture that endured for 300 years.