Rains reveal how ancient people thrived in the desert

Recent heavy rains caused flash floods across the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, forcing authorities to close the gates of the famed Petra ruins to tourists who were soggy and surly from the downpour.

The iconic site boasts gargantuan temples, canals and statues carved into red cliff walls nearly 2,000 years ago by Al-Anbat, an ancient Arab culture now known as the Nabateans. But on that day, water surged dangerously fast past the ruins.

Yet still, a handful of adventurous tourists heard the siren call of the ancients, and struck out 9 kilometers north to Petra's smaller sister site, Little Petra.