The ancient city of Petra was the capital of the Nabatean kingdom, a desert oasis and nomadic epicenter along major trade routes between Arabia, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. Its elaborate structures were carved by hand directly into sandstone cliffs. Rock-cut channels, webbed throughout the surrounding mountainous desert, connected natural springs to the city’s canals and fountains, and underground cisterns stored water reserves for its inhabitants.
Once a lush and bustling intersection of cross-cultural trade, Petra is preserved as one of the world’s most cherished archaeological sites. —Prepared by the World Tribune staff
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