Petra

("Treasury," Petra; Photo by Jordan Tourism Board)

Many people remember Petra from the ending of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In antiquity it was a center of commerce, well-preserved since it was not "built" but carved out of the rock. Today it lies in the country of Jordan. I just found that the American Museum of Natural History (NY) had a Petra exhibit way back in 2004, but has continued to keep up a nice online exhibit with interactive panoramas, with some discussion of Petra under Roman and Byzantine rule. While we can no longer check out the cool exhibit, you can see some good pictures and get some info. The interactive photos are really cool! Perhaps it will whet your appetite to see Petra in person...something I would like to do!

Here is another Petra informational site, with a lot more detailed info than the Museum, at Brown University.