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The Bedouin ( from the Arabic badawī بَدَوِي, pl. badū بَدْو or al-badaw البَدَوِ) are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arabian ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ʿašāʾir (عَشَائِر). The term 'Bedouin' means, 'those in bādiyah' or 'those in the desert'. <br/><br/> Starting in the late nineteenth century, many Bedouin under British rule began to transit to a semi-nomadic life. In the 1950s and 1960s, large numbers of Bedouin throughout Midwest Asia started to leave the traditional, nomadic life to settle in the cities of Midwest Asia, especially as ranges have shrunk and populations have grown. For example, in Syria the Bedouin way of life effectively ended during a severe drought from 1958 to 1961, which forced many Bedouin to abandon herding for standard jobs. Similarly, governmental policies in Egypt and Israel, oil production in the Persian Gulf, as well as a desire for improved standards of living, effectively led most Bedouin to become settled citizens of various nations, rather than stateless nomadic herders. Governmental policies pressing the Bedouin have in some cases been executed in an attempt to provide service (schools, health-care, law enforcement etc.), but in others have been based on the desire to seize land traditionally roved and controlled by the Bedouin.
Al Khazneh ('The Treasury'; Arabic: الخزنة‎) is one of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery (Arabic: Ad Deir), this structure was also carved out of a sandstone rock face. It has classical Greek-influenced architecture.<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Al Khazneh ('The Treasury'; Arabic: الخزنة‎) is one of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery (Arabic: Ad Deir), this structure was also carved out of a sandstone rock face. It has classical Greek-influenced architecture.<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Al Khazneh ('The Treasury'; Arabic: الخزنة‎) is one of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery (Arabic: Ad Deir), this structure was also carved out of a sandstone rock face. It has classical Greek-influenced architecture.<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Al Khazneh ('The Treasury'; Arabic: الخزنة‎) is one of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery (Arabic: Ad Deir), this structure was also carved out of a sandstone rock face. It has classical Greek-influenced architecture.<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
The Siq or al-Siq (Arabic: السيق‎) (translated: the shaft) is the main entrance to the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan. The dim, narrow gorge (in some points no more than 3 meters wide) winds its way approximately one mile and ends at Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh (The Treasury).<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Al Khazneh ('The Treasury'; Arabic: الخزنة‎) is one of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery (Arabic: Ad Deir), this structure was also carved out of a sandstone rock face. It has classical Greek-influenced architecture.<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Al Khazneh ('The Treasury'; Arabic: الخزنة‎) is one of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery (Arabic: Ad Deir), this structure was also carved out of a sandstone rock face. It has classical Greek-influenced architecture.<br/><br/> Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.
Petra was first established as a city by the Nabataean Arabs in the 4th century BC, and owed its birth and prosperity to the fact that it was the only place with clear and abundant water between the Hijaz trading centres of Mecca and Medina, and Palestine.<br/><br/> Hewn directly into the Nubian sandstone ridges of the south Jordanian desert, it seems probable that - given its excellent defensive position and good water supplies - Petra has been continually occupied from as early as Paleolithic times. It is thought to be mentioned in the Bible as Sela, a mountain fortress captured by Amaziah, King of Judah, in the 9th century BC, when the defenders were hurled to their deaths from the summit, and as many as 10,000 people died.<br/><br/> The city's Latin name, Petra - literally, 'Rock' - probably replaced the biblical name Sela at the time of the Roman conquest some 1,900 years ago. Today, in Arabic, the ancient site is still called Batraa, though the valley in which it is situated is known as Wadi Musa - 'The Valley of Moses' - being one of the places where, according to semitic tradition, the Prophet Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth. Truly Petra is steeped in history.