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Nabatean empire....
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At its peak, the Nabatean Empire stretched from modern-day Yemen to
Damascus, and from western Iraq into the Sinai Desert. With few surviving
documents, the wealthy and strategically important Nabatean trading empire
is still in many respects a mystery. The monuments of the Empire, though,
form some of the most remarkable sites remaining from the ancient world,
radiating outward from the unique capital city of Petra.
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This easily defended site, supplied with plentiful fresh
water, is a microcosm of the ancient civilizations in Jordan.
From Natufian
and pre-pottery Neolithic settlements through Edomite, Nabatean,
Roman, and
Byzantine eras, Petra was inhabited by successive traders who left
impressive characteristic artifacts. The
Crusaders fortified two sites
within Petra as outposts of the nearby castle of Mont Real (Shobak). During
the late Ottoman rule a garrison was erected to control the local
Bedouin
tribes, still used as the modern police station. Covering more than 40
square kilometers, the natural beauty and fascinating history of Petra are
worth of an extended visit. |
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One of the most important elements in the
Nabateans'
control over caravan routes was their ability to trap and preserve scarce
water resources. An in-depth examination of the extant and traceable water
systems arouses marvel at their ingenuity; even today many
Bedouin use Nabatean cisterns to water their flocks.
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From pre-eminence in the spice trade north from the
Arabian Peninsula, the Nabateans extended their influence over trade in
bitumen form the Dead Sea marketed to
Egypt, and the silk of the Orient
moving to the west. The ancient routes and outposts established to serve
them form a fascinating network for exploration. While Petra is certainly
the most noted and unique of the sites associated with the Nabateans, a
number of other locales built or extended during the height of the empire
are well worth visiting. |
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