Petra+of+Jordan

Petra of Jordan

It is located in the deserts of Jordan, next to irak, and it is a crossroad between the orient and european civilizations.
 * Where is Petra located? **

The nabateans, who were traders of the deserts. The nabateans were a group of Arabian nomads.
 * Who were its inhabitants? **

**What is/are its characteristics? (name as many as you can) **  The city had many monumental tombs in honor of their kings and leaders, it was build almost completely out of the rocks of the cliffs found in this territory. Its population was around 20,000 residents. Many of the architectural elements were hailed from alexandria. The column capitals bear intricate floral patterns and animal shapes, representing aspects of nature that were important to the Nabataeans.

**How important were tombs in Petra? What did they mean? **  The Nabateans had as a tradition to display wealth, so rich families used to hire expensive architects and masons to create their funerary monuments.

**How did this city become an urban center? **  Well, it started as a crossroad of merchants, and trough such commerce, the city was flourished.

** How was this city organized/planned? **  In its beginnings, Petra grew along the natural contours of the landscapes, it had a main street which followed the curve of the Wadi Musa (Petra´s primary river). After the intervention of the Roman empire the city development took a new direction, in which the city was organized following a grid path.

Writing No 2 The old city of Petra, is located in the deep desert of Jordan. The original inhabitants were the Nabateans, a nomad group of Arabian Desert traders, in control of precious merchandising, rare, and luxury goods such as spices, textiles and incense. This city is the most wonderful example of incredible and very advanced engineering, architecture and urban organization. The Nabaeteans chiseled by hand many of the structures into the sandstone cliffs, and built more than 3000 rock-cut tombs, breathtaking temples, banquet halls, altars and niches.

Also as an urban center, it was extraordinary; the Petra people developed such an advanced technology, that it allowed them to harness natural springs in order to sustain fertile crops, lush gardens and an impressive system of pools and reservoirs, all of which supported a booming population of 20,000 residents. It was extraordinary the development of this civilization, they were a unique congregation. They were a clear example of excellent planning, organization and incredible architecture. It’s truly a shame that external and political circumstances made Petra be forgotten, but now is one of the seven wonders of the world.