The Lost City of Petra

Very close to the border between Jordan and Israel, there is a place in the Great Rift Valley called Arabah. Hundreds of tourist are now flocking to Arabah to see the great wonder that is the "lost city" of Petra. Petra is essentially an ancient architectural feat where all sorts of tunnels and chambers were built and carved into the red-rose rock of the mountains of Jordan. 

The city is said to be "lost" because it was totally unknown to the western world until 1812 when the German explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt had to disguise himself as a  Bedoiun in order to find it. The lost city was said to be built in the second or third century BCE , although it is unclear exactly when. The Nabataeans built the rock-cut city as their capital and  is filled with numerous  temples and tombs. At the time it was built, the area was a crossroads of Arabians, Egyptians and Syrians which is reflected in the stunning architecture of the city.

The city is cut into the sandstone cliffs of the mountains of Jordan. Poet John William Burgon famously, and perfectly, described it as "a rose-red city as old as time". The sandstone has a rosy tint and the city looks as ancient as it is. In the picture below, the enormity of the monument is also made clear. Its difficult to make out, but there is a person standing in the archway.

Petra is truly a treasure, and is, in fact, one of the new seven wonders of the world and a UNESCO site. It was memorably featured in the movie, "Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade" as the home of the Holy Grail. Petra's incredible beauty and unbelievable history make it one of the most interesting places in the world to go, and most of Petra still lies underground, undisturbed and undiscovered. 

By: Lexi Kierstead

Bibliography:

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/326

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/archaeology/lost-city-petra/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAXu4ODpqmk

http://famouswonders.com/petra-in-the-arabah/

http://www.calvin.edu/petra/about/

http://travelphotos.picturetheplanet.com/Jordan/Petra-by-Day/i-DpWv89m/0/XL/Petra-ruins-jordan-day-5-XL.jpg