WADI MUSA
PETRA
230 km south of Amman in Jordan, there is a small city, 'Wadi Musa', literally is translated from Arabic to English as Valley of Moses. As of 2009, the population of Wadi Musa was 17,085. It is said that Prophet Moses struck the stone under the Lord God’s instructions and it released purified water. These wells, regardless of the stories, can still be seen today as one of many attractions.
‘Ain Musa’ or Musas' well’ was later diverted five miles from the city of Wadi Musa to the City of Petra (the geography was not so precise back then, but the spectacle is in how they managed to do all that miracle of engineering only with what they had at the time.
WADI MUSA BY NIGHT
THE NABATEANS & THE 'KHAZNEH'
The Nabateans were a group of people who lived within the castle like rock structures of Petra. They were extremely secretive about their lifestyle, and yet very prosperous. They had a very large thriving community of 30,000 at the height of their civilization. As one can safely assume most of their profits went into building the 'Khazaneh' which is now almost a synonymous symbol with Petra.
At its height, Petra was home to 30,000 people and was the center of trade. Many questioned how the group of nomads were able to transmogrify this land from a desert environment to an oasis. For over a thousand years, Petra was one of the world’s best-kept secrets as not only did the enormous mountains create a barrier for all who were uninitiated in the ways of sand and stone, but it was also fiercely guarded by Bedouin tribes. Now it is a protected World Heritage Site, and rightfully so.
Many historians, architectural experts, and archaeologists have been wondering intensely about how the Nabateans managed to survive and thrive in such a seemingly arid environment. They understood, economically, they thrived financially because of their positioning as the kings of trade for spice and silk due to their geographic location within the desert landscape of Jordan.
Now, the Nabateans were even more cunning about the way in which they were hiding their large treasure. As they were building the Khazaneh, invaders thought that, of course, this was where the Nabateans would hide their wealth. The invaders would have been severely disappointed, wasting all that money, time, and effort to invade the Khazaneh; for the Nabateans hid their silver and gold in other discrete areas within the rocks.
MOVIES FILMED AT PETRA
IN MODERN TIMES
Wadi Musa and Petra are relatively prosperous due to their increase in pricing, and also steady supply of tourism each year. I knew a few people who paid way too many Jordanian dinars for some cheap sunglasses. But that is not the only rumored method used by the people of Petra. The hotels generate a great deal of income, as they are privately owned; but it’s the housing that comes second after tourism. Wadi Musa is still a small pulsating city despite Petra being its main attraction.
The people within Petra have now decided to dress up as Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise; although I know not why. I believe they realized they could easily pull off the look and it would directly affect audience engagement. Some might very well argue that it has! Very nice to witness none the less.