Hidden City of Petra

 

'Passage-way Leading to Petra'

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

                                                            "The Treasury"

Clay water pipes that were used in Petra’s water works
system over 3000 years ago.

Petra, is a Greek word that literally means rock.  In this instance, or this context, it is a historical city located within the nation of Jordan that is famous for its rock cut architecture (shown in top image above) as well as its water conduit systems.  Petra is the most famous and stunning site in all of the country, and is located south of Amman, Jordan in the south western desert region with more than 800 structures.

It’s been described as “a rose-red city half as old as time” as well as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage”.   Petra was even chosen by the BBC as one of “the 40 places you have to see before you die” and has been recently named among the modern-day Seven Wonders of the World.

The site remained unknown to most the entire Western world until 1812, when it was re-discovered by a Swiss explorer named Johann Ludwig Burckhardt; temples, tombs, monasteries and other buildings are all carved from the rosy colored sandstone cliffs. It is believed that construction began as early as 1200 BC by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan well over 3000 years ago. The city or complex is most admired today for its massive architecture and the clever complex of dams and water channels that were used.

In fact, Excavations have shown that it was the ability of the Nabataeans to control the water supply that led to the rise of the desert city in the first place, creating an artificial oasis of a sort.  According to archeological evidence, flash floods were not frequent but when they did occur the Nabataeans controlled those floods by the use of dams, cisterns and water conduits. These innovations stored water for prolonged periods of drought, and enabled the city to prosper by making this asset available to the public.

According to Arab ancient writings, Petra is the spot where Moses is said to have ‘struck a rock with his staff and water came forth’, and where Moses' brother, Aaron, was buried.

It is possible to reach the ancient city of Petra by going through a rather narrow passageway within a mountain of rock. This passageway is about a mile long and just wide enough for a small truck but most people of today (mostly tourists) choose to go through the passage on horseback, camel-back or on foot. When you emerge, you enter a little hidden valley, within the mountains.

Around the time of Jesus Christ Petra flourished most; during that time period it was the most sensible route for traveling through the mountains; so traders bringing back silk from China in route to Europe often traveled this route. During that era, the people of Petra charged a passage fee (perhaps the first toll road?) and of course became quite rich. In addition locals were known to charge a fee for water (it was located in a typically dry desert area), and was an excellent second source of income.

Unfortunately for the city of Petra, all good things, given enough time, must end. Merchant trade routes by sea eventually became a more favored mode for travel of the day, thus allowing Petra to fall into despair.   

Sources …

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra                                                                                               http://www.soothbrush.com/petra-jordan-pictures/                                                                     http://www.atlastours.net/jordan/petra.html

Home