Charming oasis in the middle of the Arabian desert
Between XVIII-II centuries BC, Petra was a rich, prosperous edge because lying at the crossroads of trade routes between the Red Sea and Damascus, the Persian Gulf and Gaza. After all, the rich caravans laden with spices courageously overcame anhydrous red sands of the Arabian desert. However, at the very middle of the road waiting for their blessed land in the narrow Siq, the end of which was the city of Petra.
If not for the efforts of the Swiss traveler, Johann Ludwig Burkhard, all the charms and history of this amazing prehistoric city would have remained a secret even for many centuries.
The inhabitants of Petra learned over the years not only skillfully handle stone, raising him from the magnificent temples, public buildings and homes, but also virtually in dry region gather moisture and distribute it in abundance throughout the city. By using terracotta pipes, Petra architects have created a fairly complex water collection system with near lying areas within a radius of more than 25 kilometers, which is accumulated in the tank 200. So, in that sense, as the inhabitants of Petra, and from the many guests there were no problems in the same way as with a variety of food products, which brought the trade caravans.
However, the era of the welfare and prosperity of Petra ended suddenly when in the 50s AD has in these areas have begun to dominate the Romans that placing a good merchant fleet, have organized the movement of goods by sea route, bypassing the Arabian desert.
Accordingly Perth, eventually came to a complete standstill, and desolation, and closer to the XII century BC in general has become a ghost of the ancient city, which eventually became the secret of several generations of local Bedouin natives. So, if traveling in Jordan, you will want to look at one of the «New Wonders of the World», do not be lazy and take the time to visit Peter, many say, you will not regret.