The Exhibition

The Treasury viewed
from the Siq
© Andrew F. Blumenthal
Click to Enlarge

Petra: Lost City of Stone explores the caravan city of Petra and the nomadic desert traders, the Nabataeans, who built it creating a crossroads of the ancient world. Its monuments were indeed "lost" to Westerners for over 500 years, until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt arrived in 1812. But in fact the site has been continuously inhabited, first by the Nabataeans beginning in the third century B.C., and ultimately by nomadic Bedouin who lived in Petra's caves in modern times. The Nabataeans turned a remote and arid valley into a fertile oasis, a center of world trade, and a vibrant city. Caravan routes from Arabia, Asia, and as far as India, passed through, creating an extraordinary mixture of people and beliefs that thrived, together in peace, for a thousand years.

A Window on Our Own Culture

Ancient cultures have much to show us about patterns of historical change and continuity. Many parallels can be drawn between the commercial achievements of the ancient Nabataeans and today's trade and communication networks. Ancient Petra integrated ideas from many diverse cultures into a vibrant society, much like the United States has done throughout its history. Examining other cultures yields insights into which behaviors and beliefs are shared and which are unique to a particular time or people. This can help foster respect and appreciation for other cultures throughout the world. This guide encourages students to consider their own worldviews and experiences as they explore Nabataean culture though the artifacts, paintings, photos, text, and multimedia presentations on display.

An Advance Look at the Exhibition

To help you prepare students before your visit and to follow up afterwards, text, graphics, and images from the exhibition text are available online at www.amnh.org/ exhibitions/ petra. It may be helpful to review the questions in the "Teaching in the Exhibition" section.

Teaching in the Museum

The Museum offers many opportunities for self-directed learning, so give students time to explore the exhibition on their own. You can customize and adapt the questions and activities in this guide for your class level and curriculum.