We reveal the ancient innovations that lie behind some of the most enduring and romantic images of this region - the camel caravanserai and the lush oasis. And we discover the many other ingenious ways in which people here - for thousands of years - have been overcoming the challenges of life in one of the world's harshest environments.

Originally released by National Geographic, 2019. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on January 05, 2023.