Petra: The History of the Rose City, One of the New Seven Wonders of the World

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures*Includes contemporary descriptions of Petra*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading*Includes a table of contents “Petra, O Leeds, is the most wonderful place in the world, not for the sake of its ruins, which are quite a secondary affair, but for the colour of its rocks, all red and black and gray with streaks of green and blue, in little wriggly lines…and for the shape of its cliffs and crags and pinnacles, and for the wonderful gorge it has, always running deep in spring-water, full of oleanders, and ivy and ferns, and only just wide enough for a camel at a time, and a couple of miles long. But I have read hosts of the most beautifully written accounts of it, and they give one no idea of it at all…so you will never know what Petra is like, unless you come out here… Only be assured that till you have seen it you have not had the glimmering of an idea how beautiful a place can be." - A letter from T.E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”) to his childhood friend E.T. Leeds in February, 1914.When the European armies of the Third Crusade were defeated at the Battle of Hattin in 1187 CE, the region of what is today southern Jordan was overrun by Saladin’s armies, and over the following five centuries knowledge of Petra’s existence was lost to the people of Europe. The ancient city and center of civilization hidden in the desert became a myth, drawn largely upon Biblical accounts of the people and places in the Holy Land. However, during the Enlightenment of the early 18th century, interesting new theories emerged, and there grew a desire to rediscover the rose-red city. It was within this context that the Swiss-born explorer and orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt became the known as the first European to “discover” Petra. Disguised as an Arab, he convinced a local guide to navigate him through the innumerable dangers of the Wadi Araba desert in pursuit of the rumored tomb of Aaron and a timeless city hidden in the hills. On Saturday, August 22nd, 1812, he ascended the high hills of southern Jordan and was led down a deep ravine, which twisted and turned through until a splendid sight was revealed before a secret valley filled with ruins and the dark holes of rock-cut tombs. Although his disguise had brought him that far, it also prevented him from being able to fully study the ruins or make copies of what he saw there. After spending only a day exploring the valley, his guide had grown suspicious, so he was forced to move on across the Sinai Peninsula, eventually arriving at Cairo on September 4th. This expedition marked the beginnings of everything that is known about this ancient and mysterious site. Further expeditions and archaeological investigations over the following two centuries have considerably broadened knowledge about Petra’s past, and the ruined Rose City is now an archaeological landscape that has been made famous as a UNESCO World Heritage site, a “new” wonder of the world, and as the repository of the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Yet, despite its fame, many people do not know about the religious beliefs, artistic creativity, technological innovation, commerce, and politics of the numerous peoples that resided there. The History of the Rose City, One of the New Seven Wonders of the World looks at the history of Petra from prehistoric times to the end of the Crusades, as well as the city’s “rediscovery” in the 19th century and how it has entered the world’s imagination since then. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Petra like never before.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History

57 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2016

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Rivers is offering a glimpse of Petra's very long and amazing history.  William Burgon, English poet and Dean of Chichester Cathedral, described Petra as "the rose-red city, half as old as time." (p. 7) With the history the author shares about this place, it seems an apt description.  Views of al-Siq (a 1200 meter-long canyon with sandstone walls) are often used as wallpaper scenes on computer monitors.  It is truly beautiful.

Petra offers a fusion of European, African, Arabian, and Central Asian cultures.  On a map, one can see what a critical point Petra would have been for trade and travel.  An astounding fact is that only 15% of the area has been excavated by archaeologists.  In and around Petra, there is evidence of biface lithics from the Middle Palaeolithic Age (ca. 120,000 - 38,000 years ago).  This proves that hunter-gatherers roamed through this area.  Gradually, people changed from hunter-gatherers to sedentary agricultural sites.

Various tool types prove that Petra was inhabited through the copper, bronze, and iron ages.  Arabians were active in the trade routes as early as the 8th century BCE.  Petra was an old place by the time the Romans came.  A fascinating fact is that Petra has been damaged by earthquakes over the centuries. Another surprising fact is that by the end of the 13th century, Petra was empty. It remained so for generations.

A good portion of the book is concerned with the problems with modern tourism and protecting the rare and delicate edifices that remain.  As usual, some want the tourism dollars, archaeologists want to study, and UNESCO wants to protect it all.  Petra is not static; it is subject to flash flooding, seismic activity, weathering, and desertification.  Balancing the needs of the inhabitants of Petra, the tourist industry, and protecting it for the future are all weighty problems still to be solved.

[Vicky Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

City in the Desert

Petra is a desert city carved in the rocks, that functioned as a trade and cultural crossroads. I didn't realize that the current Bedouin inhabitants were forcibly resettled just before it became a world heritage site. But, the book gives quite a bit of archeological, geological, and historical information, to be packed into such a short work.

I believe this book functions as a compendium of knowledge that is in part taken from a century old classic work in the public domain by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, titled Travels in Syria and the Holy Land. That is available on Project Gutenberg. But, this book goes well beyond, in adding a through history of the origin, supposed builders, Roman visitors, modern tourism, and description of the current state of Petra. It focuses on the specific area of Petra, and it does so in a very miniature book. It is small enough that I read it twice through, since it provides only a brief view of the Rose City of the desert.

The only point of note about the Audible format is that the reader, Colin Fluxman, while having a great voice for this type of book, reads a bit fast for my taste. I suggest slowing it down to about 0.9 speed for a better effect. (That is often a good idea for nonfiction anyways.) Also, countless images and videos are available online to supplement this audio tour, unless you are more interested in the paperback edition. I think the audio made it feel more like a tour. I recommend this for anyone wanting to know more about Petra.

I read this for my stop in Jordan, on my Journey Around the World in 80 Books for 2018. My next stop is Israel.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this is a short book, it took me a while to read it because I kept putting it down. It had good information about Petra, but was a very dry read. The history of Petra is very interesting, and this book had information I did not know about the different people who settled in and around Petra throughout the centuries.

[Juan Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine being in Wadi Araba, seeing majestic desert landscapes of rocks of all colors, but especially pinkish tones, before arriving at the great city of Petra.

I have had the opportunity thanks to my work and my adventurous spirit to discover the “wonders” of the modern world, except Petra. This book made me fall in love with the place.

Petra is definitely on my list of places to visit soon.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Petra’s history and current status described

This is a concise history of Petra and the Trans Jordan region with good archeological detail. I read this after visiting the site while on tour of Egypt and Jordan. It was spectacular.

[Donna Robey-sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a history book

It read like one dry but interesting. Assumes knowledge of the ancient peoples. So sometimes difficult to follow. Thanks for the numerous footnotes.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I especially liked the last chapter - quite thought-provoking.

[Amy Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a compelling read on its own, but definitely a short book to read on your way to the city. I would have been lost if I hadn't had this book, even with a very good guide.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book, but very informative and interesting. It also has very nice color photos.

[Anthony Ambruso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read

Petra was a a place that I vaguely knew about. I picked up this book to fill in my knowledge. It certainly did that well. It was worth my time invested.