??” The issues Petra has faced and will be facing The site suffers from a host of threats, including the collapse of ancient structures, erosion due to flooding and improper rainwater drainage, weathering from salt water rising, improper restoration of ancient structures, and unsustainable tourism. On May 19, AD 363 A. D, an extremely damaging disaster hit the rose red city of Petra in the form of a series of powerful earthquakes. The city already has a history of tectonic spasms as it sits near the boundary of the Arabian plate but this earthquake as significantly more damaging than those that had struck before.
It is said that this quake in particular, destroyed more than half of Petra. It is believed that an Earthquake more devastating that the one that wrecked the city in 363 AD struck in the year 551 AD. By all accounts, it ruined the rock cut city and further damaged the partially repaired water management systems. The beautiful ruins of Petra, which were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, have for some years been faced with serious threats like salt blown in from the Dead Sea is encrusting the relatively elicate sandstone and slowly but constantly wearing away at the buildings.
If Petra was to win one of the 5 Special Grants; this breathtaking Rose red City can be restored. ??” Work Petra needs! Why we need the Grant! Regulations and policies developed under the Petra Archaeological Park Operating Plan will cover infrastructure projects undertaken by the PRA including electrification of the Petra Archaeological Park and works associated with water recycling farming projects including tree-planting. They will also cover visitor facilities such as park ighting, tourist paths and signage, restaurants and shops, community recreation areas and businesses, as well as public events and activities within the site.
There is a long-term need for a framework for sustainable development and management practices aimed at protecting the property from damage resulting from the pressure of visitors, while enhancing revenues from tourism that will contribute to the economic and social viability of the region. The Special Grant will greatly help fund these plans to restore Petra. ??” The Historical Significance of the City of Petra The rose-red city of Petra is full of mysterious charm and beauty. This unique half rock-cut, half man-made city was created by the Nabataens.
Petra was built at around between 1 BC and 6 AD and is situated halfway between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea in a mountainous region and is surrounded by passages and gorges. For world’s richest and largest archaeological sites situated in a powerful rose red sandstone landscape. In the early 12th century, when the Crusaders first travelled across the rift valley from their capital of Jerusalem, they came to Petra in recognition f it’s strategic advantage, and made an outpost to defend their eastern border. Petra was one of the most valuable cities in the Middle East, 2000 years ago.
It is located in modern day Jordan and was the capital of the Nabataei people. It was a great trading centre and became a very rich town. It took the Romans many years to gain advantage as the only way into the town is through a very narrow gorge, about one kilometre in length, called Wadi-Musa’. Therefore, Petra was easy to defend and dangerous to any attacker. More than 2000 years ago, around the 6th century BC, the Nabataeans, a nomadic and industrious Arab community settled in southern Jordan and gave us a legacy, called Petra.
Petra was a caravan city, and occupied an important place in the trade route that linked India, China and Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome and silk, spice and other objects passed through its rocky roads. The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. The true mystery of Petra (the lost city) is Just how little is known about its history, although this is likely to hange as each year new studies and excavations slowly un-cover the secrets of the site.
If Petra is lucky enough to receive one of the five grants, these excavations and studies could potentially help reveal a discovery of a lifetime. Petra needs the Grant so the archaeologists can continue their work. Bibliography http://www. atlastours. net/]ordan/petra. html http://petranationaltrust. org/UI/Default. aspx ww. UNESCO. org -Petra http://www. brown. edu/Departments/Joukowsky_lnstitute/Petra/excavations/ history. html
