With the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, it is now possible to add Petra on one's itenerary when visiting the Holy Land. Built by the Nabateans, Petra served as their capital and religious center. The Nabateans flourished from the 4th century BC to AD 106 from the caravan trade of myrrh and spices from southern Arabia to Gaza, Alexandria and Damascus. In Persian times, the Nabateans adopted Aramaic as their language but used Arabic after the Roman annexation.

Petra is hollowed out of sandstone facades, and has a system of cisterns and dams to feed towns and to hold rain water.