The Nabataeans, a nomadic trading people who flourished from the 4th century BC, carved Petra and engineered water systems marvellous enough to sustain a city in the desert. Their control of Frankincense trade routes built their wealth.
Their legacy — grand tombs, temples, dams and cisterns — underpins much of tourism in Jordan. Reading their story transforms the ruins. Travellers who hire car & driver in Jordan can pair Petra with the archaeology museum, and full package tours to Jordan include expert narration.
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