| Exploring Petra |
|
Background The ancient city of Petra presents a wonderful example of early human existence in a canyon valley in what is now the country of Jordan. A study of Petra gives us clues abut early dams and the need to control the often unpredictable flow of water down a canyon valley. Below is an excerpt of a web page that will be used in this lesson. Become familiar with this site (see link below) before engaging students in their exploration. The jewel of South Jordan is Petra, the unique, 2,000-year-old rock-carved city, the pink and salmon colored capital of the Nabataean Arabs. Petra is always breathtaking, never to be forgotten. It flourished for over 400 years around the time of Rome and Christ, until it was occupied by the Roman legions of the emperor Trajan in 106 A.D. The Petra basin boasts over 800 individual monuments that were mostly carved from the kaleidoscopic sandstone by the technical and artistic genius of the Nabataeans. The wealth and political power of this indigenous Arab people derived from their control of the international trade routes that linked China, India and Southern Arabia with the wealthy Mediterranean markets such as; Anatolia, Greece, Rome, Egypt and Syria.Resources/Materials/Supplies Internet access Description: In this activity students will: Describe the ancient history and life of Petra and explore how early humans developed a flourishing city in a canyon valley.Management Tips and Hints Begin with a discussion of how early humans over 2,000 years ago lived in a canyon valley. Explore the needs of water supply, irrigation and the prevention of flooding. Explain the purpose of the lesson and the strategies that will be used. Each group will research and become an expert on a specific Petra website and then prepare a report to the class that describes the characteristics of this ancient city. |