Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans by Jane Taylor

Product Details

Synopsis

The Nabataean Arabs, one of the most gifted peoples of the ancient world, are today known only for their hauntingly beautiful rock-carved capital—Petra. Here, in the wild and majestic landscapes of southern Jordan, they created some of the most prodigious works of man in the vast monuments that they chiseled from the sandstone mountains. The very scale of their achievement is breathtaking, but beyond mere magnitude is their creative vision, for they transformed the living rock of Petra into an enduring architectural masterpiece.

For nearly two thousand years, their civilization has been lost and all but forgotten. Yet the Nabataeans were famous in their day—Herod the Great and his sons, and a kaleidoscope of Roman emperors, were keenly aware of their power and wealth. Often victims of Greek, Roman, or Herodian duplicity, murder, and power politics, the Nabataeans were major players in the drama of the Middle East in biblical times.

This richly illustrated volume recounts the story of a remarkable but lost civilization and the capacity of its people to diversify their skills as necessity demanded. It describes their nomadic origins, the development of their multifaceted culture, their relations with their now famous neighbors, and the demise of their kingdom. It looks at their continued, if unrecognized, survival as Christians and farmers under the Byzantine Empire and into the early years of Islam.

Library Journal

Writer and photographer Taylor (High Above Jordan) has created a beautifully illustrated work covering the history of the Nabataeans, an Arab people who lived in the area of present-day southern Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia from about the third century B.C.E. until the sixth century C.E. The Nabataeans remain largely forgotten and are known today mainly for their spectacular rock-hewn city of Petra, located in the rugged mountains of southern Jordan. Taylor provides an intimate look at Nabataean life and culture based on archaeological evidence and written records of the period. She thoroughly examines the development and architecture of Petra and describes the Nabataean domination of the Middle Eastern spice trade, as well as giving detailed information on their changing religious practices over the centuries. For several centuries, Nabataean culture flourished and adapted to many outside influences, including Roman rule. The Nabataean civilization gradually declined beginning in the third century C.E. as overland caravan trade routes ceased to be used. Taylor's clear, incisive writing and copious photographs bring the ancient world of the Nabataeans to life. Highly recommended for archaeology and history collections in academic libraries. Elizabeth Salt, Otterbein Coll. Lib., Westerville, OH

Biography

Jane Taylor, a writer and photographer, is the author of High Above Jordan and Imperial Istanbul and coauthor of Testament to the Bushmen.