If we keep digging tells (or other areas of interest) we will find one of those lucky cities you are referring to, I really hope to witness this one day :) edi

If we keep digging tells (or other areas of interest) we will find one of those lucky cities you are referring to, I really hope to witness this one day :) edit: by the way it is even harder since, of those rivers and lakes, most dried up or changed course, especially in the Near East.