>Photo: The City of Petra

The Wall Street Journal online has an interesting article on Petra, the ancient capital of the Nabateans, a people who lived in what is present-day Jordan.

The article, The Power of Petra, describes the majesty of the city and provides some details on Nabatean history. The following is an excerpt from the article:

The Nabateans really are a lost civilization, a blind alley of history. Their religion, devoted to native gods with such names as Dushara, Uzza and Kutba, seemed alien even to the Nabateans’ contemporaries. Little remains of these gods except their names and controversies about their powers and personae. The amphitheater in Petra seated thousands, but no one knows what dramas were enacted there. The Nabateans left behind stately inscriptions but no literature; if history is written by the victors, those who write no history dwell in a perpetual penumbra of mystery.

Those who are interested on the history of Petra and the archaeological work conducted at the site will enjoy reading this article.

The article also offers a slide show with magnificent pictures of Petra. You will enjoy the magnificent pictures of Petra.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Tags: Archaeology, Nabateans, Petra

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