What is the Nabataean civilization?

The Nabataeans were one of several nomadic Bedouin tribes that roamed the Arabian Desert in search of pasture and water for their herds. Nabataeans’ individual culture, easily identified by their characteristic finely potted painted ceramics, was adopted into the larger Greco-Roman culture.

When was Petra built and by whom or who was it built?

The spectacular sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans, who carved palaces, temples, tombs, storerooms and stables from the soft stone cliffs.

What was the purpose of Petra?

Petra was founded over 2000 years ago along the ancient trade routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea. As a center for trade, the capital became very wealthy and powerful.

Where do the Nabateans come from?

The Nabataeans, an Arab tribe, first appeared in the sixth century BC in the desert located to the east of Jordan, and came from the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula. They settled first in Petra and subsequently expanded their territory to the Horan and Levant and finally announced Bosra as their capital.

What is inside Petra Treasury?

Can you go inside the Treasury at Petra? No, you can’t go inside the Treasury, but there’s nothing to see. It’s just an empty chamber. The Nabataeans, who carved the ancient city of Petra into the cliffs in the 1st century AD, were much more focused on the facade.

How would you describe Petra?

Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture.

How did the Nabateans get water to Petra?

The ancient city of Petra was protected from flash flooding by cisterns constructed to collect flood water following heavy winter storms. Photo courtesy of Mays, Arizona State University. Petra’s hidden system of aqueducts carried water from the mountains to reservoirs and cisterns for residents.

What is the story of Petra?

The “Rose City” is a honeycomb of hand-hewn caves, temples, and tombs carved from blushing pink sandstone in the high desert of Jordan some 2,000 years ago. Hidden by time and shifting sand, Petra tells of a lost civilization.

Why did the city of Petra flourish?

Petra flourished due to the power of the great black meteorite stone of the Shiva temple. The smaller black stone in Mecca Kaaba has similar powers. As soon as the stone was stolen, Petra as a civilization was over.

What makes Petra’s architecture unique?

Even ad-Deir (“the Monastery”), Petra’s largest and most imposing rock rock-cut façade, located in the hills high above the city, shows an austere Arabian decorative scheme that belies its otherwise Hellenistic architectural style. The Nabataeans also had to learn to harness the limited water resources of their desert capital.

How did Petra’s water system work?

Petra’s engineering phenomena are legion, including the sophisticated water system that supported some 30,000 inhabitants. Carved into the twisted passageway of the Siq, the irrigation channel drops only 12 feet over the course of a mile, while underground cisterns stored runoff to be used in drier times of the year.