The wreckage of an Ottoman Empire supply train along the historic Hejaz Railway near Hadiyah in northwestern Saudi Arabia.... The railway was built by Ottoman Empire between 1900-1908, stretching roughly 800 miles from Damascus to Medina. Its official purpose was to carry Muslim pilgrims toward Mecca, but it also let the Ottomans move troops and supplies deep into Arabia. During WWI, that made it a target. In 1916, Arab tribes rose up against Ottoman rule in what became known as the Arab Revolt. British officer T.E. Lawrence worked alongside Arab forces led by Prince Faisal. Instead of trying to capture the railway, they raided it again and again, blowing up tracks, bridges and trains so the Ottoman garrison in Medina was constantly cut off and short of supplies. When the war ended in 1918, much of the southern line was left in ruins. It was never fully rebuilt, and wrecked trains were simply abandoned where they lay. Because the desert air in Saudi Arabia is very dry, the iron carriages and engine wrecks have remained largely preserved in place rather than completely rusting away. The 1962 film “Lawrence of Arabia” won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and made Lawrence one of the most famous figures of World War I. #archaeohistories