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Table of Contents
Petra, Jordan’s most famous tourist site, is one of the country’s national treasures. It was established approximately 2000 years ago along old trade routes connecting Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea. As a trading center, the capital grew extremely wealthy and powerful. The bustling metropolis was full of life, with beautiful gardens, magnificent mansions, and markets brimming with exotic commodities from India, Arabia, and Egypt.
See the fact file below for more information about Petra, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment.
Key Facts & Information
History of Petra
- Petra, currently in the southwest of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was once a central commercial hub and the capital of the Nabataean kingdom between 400 BCE and CE. It is situated amid arid desert gorges and mountains. For ages, the city was deserted and on the verge of collapse.
- In the Amarna letters, a collection of archival writings on clay tablets that record contact between Egyptians and various tribes in and around the Arabian desert, Petra was referenced by Egyptians somewhere before 2010 BC.
- The name Petra, which means “rock” in Greek, reflected the significance of the region as a natural stronghold and haven.
- Petra is thought to have had 20,000–30,000 residents throughout the first century BCE to CE and was a significant commercial metropolis. The “Lost City” moniker refers to the fact that it lay abandoned for more than five centuries before being found by a Swiss adventurer in 1812.
- By 1929, scholars and archaeologists were taking steps to understand and preserve the site, as it was becoming a hotspot for thieves.
The Nabateans
- The Nabateans, an Arab Bedouin tribe that was local to the area in what is now southwest Jordan, founded the city of Petra as a trade center.
- Following the rapid accumulation of riches by the Nabateans trading and residing in Petra, a jealous Greek Empire invaded the city in 312 B.C.E. The first time Petra was mentioned in written history was on this occasion.
- Using the surrounding rugged terrain to their advantage, the Nabateans successfully repelled the Greek invasion. The mountains effectively supported Petra by acting as a natural bulwark.
- However, the city would see further attacks after the Greek invasion. Invading Petra in 106 C.E., the Romans eventually compelled the Nabateans to give up. The recently conquered land was seized by the Roman Empire, who gave it the new name of Arabia Petraea.
- They ruled the city for over 250 years until an earthquake in the middle of the fourth century C.E. destroyed many of its buildings. The Byzantines finally took over the region and ruled Petra for 300 years.
- Petra had mostly been abandoned and had lost its significance as an economic, governmental, and cultural center by the beginning of the ninth century C.E.
- Historians and archeologists have praised Petra for its distinctive architecture as well as a particular invention made by the Nabatean Bedouins who founded the city, despite the fact that it is no longer a significant metropolis.
Petra’s Geography
- Southwest Jordan is home to the ancient city of Petra’s ruins. Petra was constructed on a terrace that the Wadi Mūsā cut from east to west, the Valley of Moses. It is the ideal location for a regional economic hub since it is around midway between Damascus, Syria, and the Red Sea and about 150 miles south of both Jerusalem and Amman, the capital of Jordan.
- Half-built and partially carved into the rock, Petra is encircled by mountains laced with tunnels and valleys. It is one of the most well-known archaeological sites in the world, where Hellenistic and ancient Eastern architectural styles coexist.
- Many of the city’s structures were actually chiseled out of the surrounding stone surfaces by the Nabateans, who employed an early variation of the method now known as “rock-cut architecture.” The architecture of Petra started to reflect a fusion of the various civilizations that called it home as the Nabatean culture developed and as the Romans and Byzantines subsequently tried to impose their own traditions on the city.
- The Byzantines, who regarded Petra as the provincial capital of Palestina, replaced the massive and elaborate tombs erected by the Nabateans with Christian churches.
- The Petra Roman Road was constructed during this period of time, when the Romans, who governed the city after the Nabateans and before the Byzantines, were in charge. Ornate gates designed in the Roman style were constructed to mark the entrance to the city on what functioned as Petra’s main highway.
- The Nabateans, who lived in the desert, had long struggled when there wasn’t much rain in the area. To collect, store, and distribute rainwater for usage all year round, the tribe created a special network of conduits, dams, and cisterns when they constructed Petra.
- At certain times of the year, the land around the city was prone to floods. But by building dams, the Nabateans managed to control the city’s water supply. This implied that people could live there even when there was a drought. Additionally, it increased Nabatean farmers’ agricultural production.
Tourists Attractions
- You cannot enter Petra, but there is nothing to see, and it’s simply an empty room. The Nabataeans, who chiseled Petra into the rocks in the first century C.E., were far more concerned with the facade.
- The Siq is a small canyon that is slightly over a kilometer long and is surrounded by 200-meter-high red and orange-hued cliffs. The main entrance to Petra is located here.
- Visitors first catch sight of this 40-meter-high façade, known as the Treasury (Al-Khazneh), via the Siq’s little crack. Contrary to its name, the Treasury was not involved in the storage of gold or other valuables. It was probably a tomb, or even a temple, as some archaeologists have postulated, like many of the great façades of Petra.
- The primary path through the Petra ruins is known as the Street of the Facades, and it runs from the Treasury down to the theater. It is surrounded on both sides by granite cliffs that have both large and little tombs carved out of them.
- The Nabataean-built theater, which dates back to 25 B.C.E, saw a significant expansion when the city came under Roman control in C.E. 106. The theater was presumably first utilized by the Nabataeans for religious ceremonies and customs, not for Roman-style entertainment.
- Between the Palace Tomb and the Tomb of Sextius Florentinus is a rock-cut stairway that ascends Jebel Al-slope Khubtha to the mountain’s peak, where there is a High Place of Sacrifice.
- Byzantine-era church ruins may be seen on the hill to the north of Petra, while the Petra Great Temple can be found on Colonnaded Street’s southern side.
- The primary landmark in Petra’s center city area is The Great Temple. From Colonnaded Street, this large building rises in multiple stories along a string of grand staircases. The temple was once coated in red and white stucco, as evidenced by plaster fragments that were left in a few spots on one of the walls.
Petra Today
- After the seventh century, when Petra was mostly abandoned as a market hub, its stone buildings were utilized for refuge by nomadic shepherds for several decades.
- Now that their presence was known to the west, they quickly caught the attention of academics and architects, among others. The official initiative to dig and examine Petra was started in 1929 by British archaeologists Agnes Conway and George Horsfield, as well as academics Tawfiq Canaan and Ditlef Nielsen.
- Since then, numerous discoveries have been discovered, including the 1993 finding of Greek inscriptions from the Byzantine era and the more recent satellite imaging proof of a massive, as-yet-unknown structure buried beneath the nearby dunes.
- After Petra was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985, the Jordanian government forcibly removed Bedouin tribespeople who had built homes amidst the ruins.
- The location experienced a surge in tourists in the early 2000s after being designated one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World.” Since then, attempts have been undertaken to save Petra’s remains from overcrowding, erosion from rain and other natural conditions, and damage from floods.
- In recent years, several historical and archaeological management publications have described Petra as an example of a vulnerable environment, and the Petra National Trust has marketed it as a sacred location to protect, maintain, and preserve.
- Petra has been mentioned in multiple pieces of literature and has appeared in several films and TV programs.
- Petra was also mentioned in the novels The Eagle in the Sand, The Adventures of Tintin, and the Last Act in Palmyra.
- Films such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Mummy Returns, Sinbad, and the Eye of the Tiger also featured Petra.
World Heritage Sites: Petra (Jordan) Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Petra across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use World Heritage Sites: Petra (Jordan) worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Petra, which is an iconic, historical city situated in Jordan, between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea. It is believed to have been founded as early as the 4th century BCE. It is famous for its breathtaking rock-cut architecture and its deep cultural significance. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Petra Facts.
- Poetry Dissection.
- Pop Culture Petra.
- Petra Wordsearch.
- See, Think, Wonder.
- Unscrambling Activity.
- Petra Quiz.
- Stone Carvings.
- Petra Crossword.
- Postcard from Petra.
- Opinion Paragraph.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Petra Jordan famous for?
Half-built and partially carved into the rock, Petra is encircled by mountains laced with tunnels and valleys. It is one of the most well-known archaeological sites in the world, where Hellenistic and ancient Eastern architectural styles coexist.
Why is Petra called the Lost city?
Petra is thought to have had 20,000–30,000 residents throughout the first century BCE to CE and was a significant commercial metropolis. The “Lost City” moniker refers to the fact that it lay abandoned for more than five centuries before being found by a Swiss adventurer in 1812.
Is Petra in Egypt or Jordan?
Southwest Jordan is home to the ancient city of Petra’s ruins. Petra was constructed on a terrace that the Wadi Mūsā cut from east to west, the Valley of Moses. It is the ideal location for a regional economic hub since it is around midway between Damascus, Syria, and the Red Sea and about 150 miles south of both Jerusalem and Amman, the capital of Jordan.
What is the story of Petra in Jordan?
Petra, which is currently in the southwest of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, was once a central commercial hub and the capital of the Nabataean kingdom between 400 B.C.E. and C.E. It is situated amid arid desert gorges and mountains. 106. For ages, the city was deserted and on the verge of collapse.
Can you go inside Petra?
You cannot enter Petra, but there is nothing to see, and it’s simply an empty room. The Nabataeans, who chiseled Petra into the rocks in the first century AD, were far more concerned with the facade.
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