Welcome to the online exhibition of Petra. This website is built to provide you with a holistic and vivid view of Petra, not only by learning general facts but also by exploring the ancient city in maps, photographs, documentaries and artefacts, following our story-telling narrative.
To start the journey, make a cup of tea, perhaps also grab your VR glasses, and get ready to explore the ancient city in texts, photos, 3D models, videos and 360 tours!
The Rose City at a Glance
The Jordan City was an important crossroads between Syria-Phoenicia, Arabia and Egypt. Being settled since prehistoric times, the archaeological site locates in a mountain-surrounded basin between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. It was built by Nabataean caravans in approximately 5th century BC, which shows a magnificent fusion of ancient Eastern traditions and architecture of Hellenistic. The city is half exposed, half covered by rosy-coloured rock, and it is one of the most popular signature tourist attractions of Jordan. However, the collapse of old structures as well as erosion from water bring challenge to its conservation. Recently, due to the pandemic of COVID-19, Petra’s annual visitors have dropped from over one million to zero, leading to emptiness of the historic sites.
Video: Petra, Jordan | Civilisations BBC Two
Basic Information
| Location | Ma’an Governorate, Jordan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°19′43″N 35°26′31″E |
| Area | 264 square kilometres (102 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 810 m (2,657 ft) |
| Built | possibly as early as 5th century BC |
| Visitors | 1,135,300 (in 2019) |
| Governing body | Petra Region Authority |
| Website | www.visitpetra.jo |
“One of the Most Precious Cultural Properties of Man’s Cultural heritage”
UNESCO
The Origin of the Lost City
The rock-cut Nabatean capital city was a tangible, immovable cultural heritage as well as one of the richest and largest archaeological sites in the world. Since 7000 BC, the ancient Jordanian city has been inhabited, which had become the capital of Nabataean Kingdom by the 2nd century BC. Between Hellenistic and Roman times, Petra was the main trading centre for caravans to exchange various goods such as incense from Arabia, spices from India, as well as silks from China. As a city located in an arid area, the clever and original system for water conduit – built upon its dominating red sandstone landscape – enabled expanding settlement until Byzantine periods, with the Nabataeans’ skills of stone-carving and agriculture also flourished with their business wealth gain. In the first century AD, Petra’s estimated population once hit 20,000, before its importance began to decline due to the emergence of sea trade routes. The alias of “Rose City” came from the colour of rock where Petra is carved from, and the city has become a world heritage site listed by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The Univeral Value of Petra
As pointed out by UNESCO’s world heritage centre, Petra’s outstanding universal value lies in its fine mausoleums and temple architecture, as well as religious sites; the remaining river channels, dams for diversion, as well as underpasses, combining with its massive network storing water, efficiently managed seasonal rainfalls; the remnant wide-ranging archaeological sites showed plentiful different living scenarios. Further, the integration of Greek-styled architectural fronts with the Nabataean rock-cut religious constructions characterises an inimitable artistic accomplishment, as well as stupendous architectural complexes of certain historical periods. A variety of archaeological sites and markers – from prehistoric periods to the Middle Ages – bring remarkable testimony to the old and distant civilisations. In 2007, the Al-Khazneh (one of the most elaborate temples of Petra) was included into the New 7 Wonders of the World.
A Magical Timeline :
Click on each exhibition unit to immerse yourself within different period of the city’s history.
By 7000 BCE
Early Records of farmers settled in Beidha, a Pre-Pottery Neolithic settlement just north of Petra.
Bronze Age
Petra was listed in Egyptian campaign accounts and the Amarna letters as Pel, Sela or Seir.
Iron Age Edom
The Edomite site excavated at the top of the Umm el-Biyara mountain at Petra was established not earlier than the seventh century BCE (Iron II).
4th Century BC – 106 AD The Nabataean period
Emergence and grow of Petra
106 – 395 AD The Roman period
The city continues to flourish
395 – 1453 AD Byzantine period
Decline to ceased