JORDAN On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.
Two tourists ride camels past the Treasury, al-Khazneh in Arabic, the famous Petra monument that is carved out of solid rock from the side of a mountain and stands over 40 meters high the first monument seen at end of the Siq, a 1.5 kilometers path that narrows to about five meters (16 feet) with walls towering over 200 meters (656 feet) overhead, May 16, 2007. Petra is among the leading contenders to be the new seven wonders of the world as a massive poll enters its final month with votes already cast by more than 50 million people, organizers say. The seven winners will be announced July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal.
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