Is Petra an underground city?
Located in the desert canyons of southwestern Jordan, Petra was the capital of the ancient Nabataean civilization. Astoundingly, what we see today is just a fraction of what the ancient city has to offer. Archeologists have only excavated 15% of the site, so an amazing 85% of it is still buried underground.
Why is the ancient city of Petra important?
Petra began as a main stopping point for Nabataean and foreign traders. As traders from around the world passed though Petra, they brought new ideas and culture from places like Egypt, China, and Greece. Petra became more than a center of trade—it was also a cultural center of the ancient world.
Is Petra the oldest city in the world?
Petra is believed have been established in 312 BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. It was the capital city of Nabateans, who were ancient southern Arab people that arrived in Jordan around the 6th century BC.
When did the Nabataeans make Petra their capital?
The area around Petra has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans might have settled in what would become the capital city of their kingdom, as early as the 4th century BC. Archaeological work has only discovered evidence of Nabataean presence dating back to the second century BC, by which time Petra had become their capital.
Where was the capital city of the Nabataeans?
The Nabataeans, also Nabateans ( /ˌnæbəˈtiːənz/; Arabic: ٱلْأَنْبَاط al-ʾAnbāṭ , compare Ancient Greek: Ναβαταῖος, Latin: Nabataeus ), were an Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and the Southern Levant in antiquity. Their settlements, most prominently the assumed capital city of Raqmu (present-day Petra,…
How did the ancient city of Petra get water?
The sides of the Siq were also outfitted with channels and pipes that carried fresh water into the city. For every tourist who visits the ancient city of Petra in modern-day Jordan, there is one breathtaking moment that captures all of the grandeur and mystery of this city carved in stone.
Where did the Nabataeans live in ancient Arabia?
Related ethnic groups. other Arabs. The Nabataeans, also Nabateans ( / ˌnæbəˈtiːənz /; Arabic: ٱلْأَنْبَاط al-ʾAnbāṭ , compare Ancient Greek: Ναβαταῖος; Latin: Nabataeus ), were an ancient Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and the southern Levant. Their settlements—most prominently the assumed capital city of Raqmu (present-day Petra,