"Deep in the desert, in the land of Jordan, lies the hidden city of Petra, one of the greatest marvels of the ancient world. Its monuments, dwellings, and temples are carved directly out of the solid, rose-red rock that rises in sharp ridges above the dry sands. Secure in its fortified gorge, Petra was for many centuries the center of a vast caravan trade between the Orient and the Mediterranean.

In this desolate land, where towering cliffs cast sharp shadows on barren rock, a splendid civilization thrived. Probably founded by the Edomites, it was occupied by the Nabataeans from the 4th century BC until the Romans conquered it in AD 106. Seized by the Muslims and, later, the Crusaders, Petra fell into ruin and its location was lost to memory, until the Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt found it in 1812.".

"Petra's mysterious beauty and dramatic story have long captivated the imaginations of historians and art lovers. Recent excavations by the archaeologists Jean-Marie Dentzer and Christian Auge provide new information about this city, unique in history."--BOOK JACKET.