Did people used to live in Petra?

Petra, a city carved into the sandstone cliffs in Jordan's desert, was capital of the Nabataean empire between 400 B.C. and 106 A.D. It's not known exactly when the Bdoul tribe took up residence in the ruins, but nomadic tribes have been living in the area at least as far back as the 1500s, says Steven Simms, a retired ...



People Also Ask

In its heyday, which began in the first century B.C. and lasted for about 400 years, Petra was one of the world's wealthiest, most eclectic and most remarkable cities. That was when the Nabatean people carved the most impressive of their monumental structures directly into the soft red stone.

MORE DETAILS

Located amid rugged desert canyons and mountains in what is now the southwestern corner of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Petra was once a thriving trading center and the capital of the Nabataean empire between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106. The city sat empty and in near ruin for centuries.

MORE DETAILS

In A.D. 363, Petra suffered another blow when a massive earthquake destroyed many of the city's buildings and its water-supply system. This natural disaster marked a turning point for the Nabataeans. By A.D. 700, only a few people lived in and around Petra. Over time, the city was lost to the outside world.

MORE DETAILS

Petra as described earlier is a city, of course you can get inside archaeological lost city (You will pay 70$ for a ticket to get inside ). But if you mean to get inside “Al khazneh” the Treasury of Petra, then; unfortunately, you can't!

MORE DETAILS

Now, however, archaeologists are discovering that ancient Petra was a sprawling city of lush gardens and pleasant fountains, enormous temples and luxurious Roman-style villas.

MORE DETAILS

According to Arab tradition, Petra is the spot where Moses struck a rock with his staff and water came forth, and where Moses' brother, Aaron, is buried, at Mount Hor, known today as Jabal Haroun or Mount Aaron. The Wadi Musa or Wadi of Moses is the Arab name for the narrow valley at the head of which Petra is sited.

MORE DETAILS

During the Exodus, The Prophet Moses and the Israelites passed through the Petra area in Edom. Local tradition says that the spring at Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses), just outside Petra, is the place where Moses struck the rock and brought forth water (Numbers 20:10-11).

MORE DETAILS

The Outstanding Universal Value of Petra resides in the vast extent of elaborate tomb and temple architecture; religious high places; the remnant channels, tunnels and diversion dams that combined with a vast network of cisterns and reservoirs which controlled and conserved seasonal rains, and the extensive ...

MORE DETAILS

Some main archeological sites inside the city are the Treasury – the tomb of a Nabatean king, the Monastery – an isolated mountain temple, a theatre, government buildings and dwelling for regular people.

MORE DETAILS