What is the City of Petra Known For?

By Loay Al-Zube

Petra is an ancient city located in modern-day Jordan that is known for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. The city is also known for its extensive network of caves, tunnels, and unique natural environment.

Petra is a historical and archaeological city in Jordan. Another name for Petra is the Rose City due to the color of the stone out of which it is carved.

The ancient city of Petra in Jordan is known for its half-carved into stone architecture.

Petra was once the capital of the Nabataean kingdom and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nabataean kingdom was founded in the sixth century BC by the nomadic Nabataean tribes, who occupied the land between the Euphrates River and the Red Sea, known in Arabic as al-Sham (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel). The people of the kingdom were of Aramean origin, and their original language was Aramaic. The kingdom reached its height under the rule of King Aretas IV, who reigned from 9 BC to 40 AD. Under Aretas, the kingdom extended from the Sinai Peninsula in the south to Damascus in the north, and from the Euphrates River in the east to the Red Sea in the west. The Nabataeans were known for their skill in hydraulic engineering, and they constructed a complex system of dams and canals to irrigate their lands. They also built a network of roads and caravanserais to facilitate trade. The kingdom was annexed by the Roman Empire in 106 AD. The Nabataean script was used to write the Nabataean language, a dialect of Aramaic. The script is derived from the Aramaic alphabet, and it consists of 22 letters, all of which are consonants.

Petra is called the Lost City because it was hidden away for centuries, only to be rediscovered in the early 1800s. Some people also call it the Lost City because it is so vast and complex, and because there is still so much that is unknown about it.