Archaeology and fantastic finds in the Desert

[Aulus Perrinius]

Apologies if this is in the wrong spot, spamming was never my intention.

Anyways, after reading the lost army of Cambyses thread, I got to think :!: ing about the romance of the desert (I know, I know, it's not nearly as nice as the movies make it sound) the Foreign Legionaries going under a wave of the enemy gallantly firing to the last man, lost armies, planes, expeditions, and caravans, so what fantastic (and true) finds have been found in the desert that completely changed our understanding of ancient cultures, or just plain made us go: "Wow!"?

Anyone care to share?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

On a personal level or for humanity as a whole?

Seeing the remains of Roman cities and forts in Syria, Lybia and Tunisia...
Seeing the city of Petra(not in the flesh yet.....
Ancient Egyptian remains........

[Jona Lendering]

what fantastic (and true) finds have been found in the desert that completely changed our understanding of ancient cultures

The Limes Tripolitanus, where the Romans "just" changed an ecosystem to protect their cities, is easily the most surprising and impressive archaeological monument from the desert I have seen. The Wadi Mathendous is second, but I add that when those reliefs were made, it was no desert. Yet, art historians have had to admit that art was born not just in Greece, which caused a sensation.

The magic of Petra is gone. It has become too accessible, perhaps; at least, there are too many people. The people living over there sell cheap souvenirs, like Turkmen women's crowns and mosaics of the Great Square of Isfahan - you know, there are Turkmen living in Jordan, a country that stretches east to Isfahan.

Palmyra owes its reputation to its being located in the desert, and is deservedly famous.

If you want to visit Siwa, you must hurry. The main monuments are made of mud, but over the past ten years, there has been rainfall. I expect the site will become increasingly unattractive. Yet, I liked it.

(I know that the above sounds a bit pedantic; I count my blessings. As a tour leader, you can sort of make your own plans.)

[Aulus Perrinius]

Very cool!

Those romans were resourceful weren't they?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I was just watching a docu about a Roman fort in and odd keyhole shape, as it was described by the narrator.
Two forts, linked by a double wall, ontop of a hill/mountain, from which the Red Sea could be seen.
Seems to have been totally outside of military logic, apart from its strategic location.....no water!
It was I believe in Egypt, but the name escaped me.