Petra

"Deep in the desert, in the land of Jordan, lies the hidden city of Petra, one of the greatest marvels of the ancient world. Its monuments, dwellings, and temples are carved directly out of the solid, rose-red rock that rises in sharp ridges above the dry sands. Secure in its fortified gorge, Petra was for many centuries the center of a vast caravan trade between the Orient and the Mediterranean. In this desolate land, where towering cliffs cast sharp shadows on barren rock, a splendid civilization thrived. Probably founded by the Edomites, it was occupied by the Nabataeans from the 4th…