1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.MX 2 00:00:03,280 --> 00:00:05,280 NARRATOR: In the Jordanian desert, 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,520 an incredible ancient treasure still stands, 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX 5 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,600 the monumental city of Petra. 6 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,440 Built over 2,000 years ago by the ancient Nabatean civilization, 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,400 Petra's construction is colossal, 8 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:28,760 with monuments, tombs, and temples carved into the sides of cliffs. 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,920 DAVID GRAF: The nature of Petra as a rock-carved city is really unique. 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,160 There are not other places with this many tombs, 11 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,000 and this kind of architecture. 12 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,280 NARRATOR: To sustain this ancient desert city, 13 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,280 its engineers built a water supply system 14 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:57,320 with channels and pipelines that transformed Petra into a desert oasis... 15 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,280 filled with lush gardens, a pool, and a thermal spa. 16 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:10,560 THOMAS R. PARADISE: You just didn't have water that was available during seasons; 17 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:12,880 you had water available all year. 18 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,040 NARRATOR: Even today, the achievements 19 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,280 of Petra's engineers are astounding. 20 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,160 They made a region of harsh, arid mountains 21 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,760 into a prosperous city of over 20,000 people, 22 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:28,760 and an ancient trading capital. 23 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,840 THIBAUD FOURNET (in French): What's fascinating 24 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,040 about the culture of the Nabateans is that 25 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,760 in less than two centuries, they built an exceptional city. 26 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,000 A blend of extreme luxury and exuberance 27 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,280 that makes Petra so wonderful. 28 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,640 NARRATOR: Now, experts take us behind the scenes 29 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,280 to finally see how this ancient culture 30 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,120 carved cliffside monuments that still stand today. 31 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,960 Discover how this forbidding landscape 32 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,280 became the amazing city of Petra. 33 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,520 The ancient city of Petra stands a 200-kilometer journey 34 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,360 south from Jordan's capital, Amman. 35 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,800 Halfway between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, 36 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:33,560 Petra is strategically located in a valley at the end of a narrow canyon. 37 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,160 It's an astounding sight, 38 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,960 with monuments carved into the rock face on all sides. 39 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:55,640 Built over 2,000 years ago, 40 00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,400 the ancient people who constructed the city were known as the Nabateans. 41 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,880 But why did these nomadic merchants 42 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,680 build their city in a remote desert canyon? 43 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,960 PARADISE: Petra was the perfect crossroads; 44 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:26,640 it was a nexus of commerce. 45 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,560 So, you have north-south trade 46 00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:31,160 that involved frankincense and myrrh, 47 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,360 and then turquoise and peridot, and gemstones coming from the south. 48 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,480 Then you have the east-west trade coming through, which is now Kuwait, 49 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,400 that would've brought silk and Chinese goods in from the east. 50 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:48,120 So, there's no coincidence that Petra was the perfect location to build a city, 51 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,400 and a city that would boom within hundreds of years 52 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,200 to thousands of inhabitants. 53 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,160 NARRATOR: In addition to its location at the nexus of valuable trade routes, 54 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,680 Petra also had other advantages. 55 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,920 Its steep hillsides provided a natural defense against invaders. 56 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:13,120 The city's builders constructed control towers at its highest points 57 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:14,960 to secure the area. 58 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,160 The entry point for the city passed through a narrow gorge 59 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,920 formed by erosion, called the Siq. 60 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:38,000 Petra stood at the junction of multiple dry stream valleys, called wadis, 61 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:42,360 which the Nabateans used to direct rain flow and spring water to the city. 62 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,080 You're in a desert, water is scarce, 63 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,040 and what you find is a large basin, 64 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,840 where water drains from a couple of directions. 65 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,560 So the original inhabitants of Petra 66 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,600 understood that where water converges 67 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:05,640 is probably the most important thing to look for for a desert city. 68 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,160 It's not a coincidence. It's not an arbitrary location. 69 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,080 It's the perfect location, where you have water and then trade, 70 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:18,280 commerce, a flat valley that would be ideal for a city center. 71 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:23,080 Petra is the best location within one or 200 miles easily, 72 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,280 if not 1,000 miles, to build a city. 73 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,600 NARRATOR: The Nabateans built their hidden city in just 200 years. 74 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,920 The entry point through the Siq led to a vast plain 75 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,960 that became the city center, 76 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:47,200 home to 20,000 to 30,000 people in the first century AD. 77 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,680 Nearly 3,000 monuments and buildings decorated the city 78 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,160 and its surrounding cliffsides. 79 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,840 The six-square kilometer city became the capital of the Nabatean kingdom. 80 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,960 These master architects built the lavish Khazneh, or treasury, 81 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:12,920 near the entrance to the city. 82 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,480 The structure is decorated with details 83 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,960 that show the influence of Greek and Egyptian architecture. 84 00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:32,280 High columns are topped with ornate Corinthian capitals... 85 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:37,360 and the entrance is flanked by statues 86 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,800 of the Greek mythological figures Castor and Pollux. 87 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:45,920 The second level features a tholos, 88 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,720 a circular Greek structure, 89 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,000 surrounded by sculptures of Egyptian and Greek deities 90 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,320 worn down by 2,000 years of erosion. 91 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:02,200 At the top, a massive urn stands 3.5 meters high. 92 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,400 Inside lies a vast hall, opening onto three large rooms. 93 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,880 But unlike the exterior, the inside of the structure is plain, 94 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,400 with the walls left completely bare. 95 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:39,120 GRAF: The function of the Khazneh remains a... a puzzling question. 96 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,760 And it has been speculated that it was a tomb 97 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:43,640 for one of the Nabatean kings. 98 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:48,240 Possibly, it was a tomb for the great Nabatean king 99 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,200 Aretas IV. 100 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,160 But this is only guesswork. 101 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,600 Uh, we really don't know who was buried there, 102 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,120 and there are no inscriptions at any of the tombs 103 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,520 to give us some idea of who this tomb represents. 104 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,280 NARRATOR: The Khazneh was carved out of a sandstone cliff 105 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:12,320 that stands 80 meters high. 106 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,960 For workers to carve out this massive structure, 107 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:25,200 Petra's architects had to rethink their usual building methods. 108 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,160 A typical bottom-to-top plan would be impossible 109 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:29,880 when carving from a cliff. 110 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,240 JEAN-CLAUDE BESSAC (in French): Had they started from the bottom, 111 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,080 it would've been impossible for them to know where to begin 112 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,040 so that the wall would be plumb, 113 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,120 because the cliffsides are not always perpendicular. 114 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:46,200 They can be slightly slanted, and that's very difficult to calculate. 115 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,960 There's another big problem that comes with 116 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:53,280 chipping away from above yourself, and that's namely the risk of debris 117 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:57,040 falling on the laborers below. 118 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:01,520 NARRATOR: So, they carved the Khazneh from top to bottom. 119 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,440 But the structure's sides soar nearly 40 meters high. 120 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,440 How did the workers get to the top to even start carving? 121 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,520 Scaffolding makes sense, but in the desert, wood was scarce. 122 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,320 PARADISE: If we look at the pollen record in Petra, 123 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:33,760 we notice that trees were not much more abundant than they are today. 124 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:38,280 And the trees that did exist in the area are similar to trees we see today: 125 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:39,920 Juniper and Oak. 126 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:44,680 The climate hasn't changed enough to change the variety of trees. 127 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,320 So trees did grow then, but they grew sparsely. 128 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,400 They were not common at all. 129 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:52,160 So the use of scaffolding 130 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:57,360 would have been a very, very rare luxury for the Nabateans to have. 131 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,400 NARRATOR: Without wood to build scaffolding, 132 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,000 Petra's architects got creative, 133 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,480 and their methods are still visible on the mountain today. 134 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,760 HANI FALAHAT (in Arabic): When the Nabateans decided 135 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:20,880 to build the facade of the Khazneh, 136 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,960 they had to prepare the area so they could reach the mountaintop 137 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,160 before even beginning construction. 138 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,040 And then they sculpted it from the top down. 139 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:34,080 To do that, they build a staircase. And they built it wide enough 140 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,040 to allow the workers to comfortably go up and down 141 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,840 even while carrying their tools. 142 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,440 There was a bridge over there that allowed them to get from 143 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,120 the staircase to the front on the other side. 144 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,360 They went around the back of the mountain in order to get to the summit, 145 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,360 and then they carved out the top of the Khazneh. 146 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,240 NARRATOR: After climbing the first part of the staircase, 147 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,520 visitors reach a huge cave. 148 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:02,400 A shelter carved out by workers at the start of construction. 149 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:12,040 FALAHAT (in Arabic): This cave was where the laborers who were assigned the 150 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:16,120 construction of the Khazneh stored the tools they needed. 151 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,200 They would meet here at the beginning of the day, 152 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,720 then they would take the bridge to go around the mountain 153 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,800 and then they'd begin sculpting the rock. 154 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,880 NARRATOR: Even the preparation for the monument was impressive, 155 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:35,120 but it was all to set the stage for the construction to come. 156 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:40,280 Experts say the ancient architects used certain methods 157 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,000 to carve the Khazneh straight out of the rock. 158 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,760 The first step was to carve a ledge in the cliffside. 159 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,760 Then, the workers could use the ledge to access the face of the rock 160 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,040 and began carving the gigantic urn at the top. 161 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,920 Next, they dug two vertical trenches on either side. 162 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:11,280 Then the ledge was carved further, 163 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,520 and another section of the Khazneh began to take shape. 164 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,000 A series of indentations likely served as ladders, 165 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,840 so workers could reach the different levels of the structure. 166 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,880 They continued this process until they finally reached the bottom. 167 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,200 There was no room for mistakes. 168 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,200 Once they completed a level, they couldn't reach it again later. 169 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,880 The smallest mistake would stay carved into the rock 170 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:48,760 for thousands of years. 171 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:58,360 The remnants of the vertical trenches and enclaves are still visible today. 172 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:03,640 Reminders of this massive undertaking by Petra's ancient architects. 173 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:09,240 Experts believe the builders finished the job in less than four years. 174 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:13,560 Two kilometers from here, 175 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,560 another one of the city's monuments was also carved 176 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:18,680 entirely from the rock. 177 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:20,800 It's called Ad Deir. 178 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,160 It's not an easy place to reach. 179 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:41,360 Through a narrow path and up over 800 stone steps, 180 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,520 the colossal structure towers over the city below. 181 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,760 The exterior of Ad Deir is less ornate 182 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,560 and more abstract than the Khazneh's figurative decoration, 183 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,360 but both structures feature imposing columns 184 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,440 supporting two levels of pediments and a tholos. 185 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:08,840 Ad Deir also features a ten meter high urn at the top of its tholos. 186 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,160 GRAF: During the Christian period, 187 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,400 it was developed into a monastery. 188 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,040 But in the earlier period, 189 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,240 its purpose seems to have been originally a tomb. 190 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:26,280 Uh, who was buried there, and when, is a matter of speculation again, 191 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:32,120 but it is one of the most magnificent tombs at Petra, 192 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:33,680 along with the Khazneh. 193 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,400 NARRATOR: At first, it seems Ad Deir was built 194 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,600 the same way as the Khazneh, 195 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,200 since both monuments were carved entirely from the rock. 196 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,280 But the cliffs are less steep than the Khazneh. 197 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:55,840 The sides of the rock around Ad Deir slope more gently toward the ground, 198 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,600 so workers could use different methods to carve this structure. 199 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,520 Getting started was also relatively easier. 200 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,120 Workers could climb the slope to the top, 201 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,680 making the carving of the urn a much simpler task. 202 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,720 Building the rest of the structure took two stages. 203 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:26,480 The first was to create a giant set of steps across the face of the rock, 204 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:30,600 eliminating the excess rock so the vertical facade could take shape. 205 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,520 Then, workers carved Ad Deir step by step 206 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,600 from top to bottom. 207 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,280 To the untrained eye, 208 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,160 the sculpture work on Ad Deir may seem almost crude. 209 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,720 The columns and their capitals are simple and abstract, 210 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,440 and the pediments are sparely decorated. 211 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:01,080 But the structure's simplicity belies a superior level of mastery. 212 00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:05,400 BESSAC (in French): Contrary to what most people think, 213 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,320 it's easier to make a capital 214 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:12,280 that's decorated with something like acanthus leaves, or any ornate capital, 215 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,440 because that gives you something to work around. 216 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,520 In case you make any mistakes while carving it out, 217 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,800 you can always slightly change the shape of a leaf 218 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,280 so that it hides your mistake and no one sees it. 219 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:30,280 However, with clean, straight lines, the slightest error becomes visible. 220 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,600 That means you have to be much 221 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:35,360 more careful and rigorous in your work. 222 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,480 In other words, there's absolutely no room for error. 223 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,960 NARRATOR: Ad Deir's smooth columns and refined lines 224 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,880 are the result of incredible skill. 225 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:47,520 Even more impressive, 226 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,120 they were all carved out of the mountain in one piece. 227 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,680 When a structure is made of stone blocks assembled together, 228 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,760 carvers can choose them individually before beginning their work. 229 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:02,520 Not possible here. 230 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,440 The sculptors worked up against the rocky wall, 231 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,440 digging centimeter by centimeter. 232 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,520 Every step had to be perfect. 233 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,880 BESSAC (in French): If workers broke something by mistake, 234 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:22,960 if the stone had a weak spot, 235 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,280 or if any part of the cornice or the capital broke off, 236 00:17:26,360 --> 00:17:27,480 well, that was it, 237 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:31,840 it's not like you could just replace the piece in question. 238 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:36,880 The slightest error was fatal to the entire project and was irreparable. 239 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,560 NARRATOR: The lost city of Petra is home 240 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,680 to over 2,700 monuments and structures carved from the rock. 241 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,680 Millions of years of erosion shaped the landscape 242 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,880 before it was sculpted by human tools, 243 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:06,400 revealing the many layers of sandstone in all their colors. 244 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,240 GRAF: The nature of Petra as a rock-carved city is really unique. 245 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,960 Uh, there are not other places with this many tombs, 246 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,360 and this kind of architecture. 247 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:33,840 The number of these rock-carved, uh, areas is unparalleled 248 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,600 anywhere in the Mediterranean world. 249 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:41,680 Petra is, is, uh, unique. Exceptional in this regard. 250 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,600 NARRATOR: In addition to the rock-carved monuments, 251 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,560 the city also housed many more stone structures 252 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,560 built using traditional construction methods. 253 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,920 The sandstone used to build the freestanding structures 254 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,640 came from nearby construction sites. 255 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,760 When carving their cliffside monuments, 256 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,840 workers shaped and reused the large amounts of stone 257 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,520 removed from the mountains. 258 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,680 Many of the more traditional buildings have been destroyed 259 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,200 or buried in the sand after 2,000 years. 260 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:35,440 The number of buildings Petra once contained 261 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:37,440 remains unknown, 262 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:41,680 but experts say they were more than just the leftover stone extracted 263 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:44,080 from cliffside constructions. 264 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,960 The builders also drew from sources outside Petra. 265 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:56,760 Archaeological excavations have found 14 stone quarries around the city, 266 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,960 where workers extracted thousands of cubic meters 267 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,080 of multicolored sandstone. 268 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:08,120 Southeast of the city, at the summit of Jebel al-Madhbah, 269 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,240 lies one of the biggest stone quarries. 270 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:21,760 The extraction of huge stone blocks, 271 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,880 weighing hundreds of kilos, would have taken years. 272 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:33,360 The workers' only tools were a pick, a mallet, 273 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,080 and an iron wedge. 274 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:42,320 Two stone obelisks, 275 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,520 each almost seven meters high, 276 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:47,960 are all that remain to show the rock's original height. 277 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:01,920 HANI M.K. AL-NAWAFLEH: These columns left behind are sign and witness, uh, 278 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,320 about the, uh, volume of the rock 279 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,040 that were extracted from this particular quarry, 280 00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:11,600 which counts for at least 281 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:15,240 tens of thousands of cubic meters. 282 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:24,640 NARRATOR: Petra's most impressive stone quarry is at Wadi As-Siyagh. 283 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,240 Here, workers dug out the floor to extract almost 30 meters of rock. 284 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:34,040 But at the bottom, 285 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:37,200 they discovered sandstone of much higher quality. 286 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,840 So they dug further, directly into the bottom of the cliff, 287 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,360 carving out an opening over eight meters long. 288 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:54,280 AL-NAWAFLEH: This kind of sand is quite hard, 289 00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:58,400 so it is more resistant than the others. 290 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,480 It is characterized by its yellowish-brown color. 291 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:04,920 So, huge amounts of rocks 292 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:08,920 were excavated from this quarry. 293 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,760 It is estimated that the quantities of the rock, 294 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,640 which is extracted from this quarry alone, 295 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:19,040 more than 31,000 meter cube. 296 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:24,000 NARRATOR: Even after removing the blocks of sandstone from the mountain, 297 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:26,920 the workers still had to move them to the city. 298 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,560 How they did that remains a mystery. 299 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:39,040 LAURENT THOLBECQ (in French): It's quite rare to find traces 300 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:41,280 of how the rocks were transported. 301 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:45,000 You have to keep in mind that these quarries have been exposed 302 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,320 to the elements without an interruption for 2,000 years, 303 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,440 so many of the stones have been significantly eroded. 304 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,800 Any traces potentially left behind by rock movement 305 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,920 have completely disappeared or have been covered up 306 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,600 by later construction, debris, or even by soil. 307 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,280 That's what 2,000 years will do. 308 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:09,520 NARRATOR: That hasn't stopped archaeologists 309 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,400 from offering theories based on local topography. 310 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,160 PARADISE: The quarries are all found above the valley. 311 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,920 They're not at the lower portion of the valley. 312 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,720 So the quarries where the rock was removed 313 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,040 to use for construction in Petra 314 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:30,040 are all found either at the same level or above. 315 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:32,080 So simple roller tools 316 00:23:32,160 --> 00:23:34,560 could've been used to haul the rock down. 317 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,240 NARRATOR: The workers probably used simple wooden rollers to move the stone. 318 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:48,240 Logs would have been placed on top of two larger parallel tree trunks. 319 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,320 The stone blocks could then be rolled down the slope to the city. 320 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,560 One of the most impressive monuments built using sandstone blocks 321 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,880 mined from the quarries is the Great Temple. 322 00:24:10,120 --> 00:24:14,600 The enormous building stretches to 7,000 square meters. 323 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:18,800 Despite its name, it was probably not used as a temple, 324 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,280 but as a central administrative building, 325 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:24,320 or as the public section of the royal palace. 326 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,160 The massive entrance porch leads to a series of rooms 327 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,720 and hallways surrounded by columns. 328 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:35,880 Was this a courtroom? 329 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,000 Or an assembly area? 330 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,320 Its intended purpose has been lost to time. 331 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:47,560 Now, only ruins remain of this once imposing building. 332 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:53,280 But its massive stone blocks raise another archaeological mystery. 333 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:55,920 How did the builders raise these stones 334 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,840 35 meters into the air without scaffolding? 335 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,440 Petra's architects left no written record. 336 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:05,640 But the methods used by the Romans 337 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,840 and other civilizations provide a few theories. 338 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,680 THOLBECQ (in French): There are a few machines 339 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:15,280 that were made out of wood 340 00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:18,320 and that would make it possible to lift big stones. 341 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:22,120 The most commonly-used machines were what we call lifting jacks. 342 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,000 The idea is to have two beams attached together using cables, 343 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,520 and then raise the stone off a pulley. 344 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,080 Using the swinging motion of the machine, 345 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,680 they could get the stone closer to the wall. 346 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,520 NARRATOR: Another type of lifting device is called a derrick. 347 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,880 Made up of a single large wooden beam, 348 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,000 it is placed in a hole in the ground to anchor it. 349 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:50,520 On the other end, pulleys are connected to two cords attached to the ground, 350 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,400 and a third cord tied around the rock. 351 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,160 Using a pendulum-like movement, 352 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,400 the rock can be lifted and positioned 353 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:00,560 anywhere in the construction site. 354 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,440 BESSAC (in French): Derricks are more practical than lifting jacks. 355 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:11,120 The latter can only move in one direction and they don't turn. 356 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:15,080 Using a derrick, it's easy to pick up a block on one side, turn it, 357 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,000 and set it down on a structure. 358 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,320 I personally think they used derricks. 359 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,200 NARRATOR: Using these ancient tools, 360 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:27,080 the builders probably spent years constructing the Great Temple. 361 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:34,080 Some estimate that all of Petra must have taken at least 200 years to build. 362 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:46,280 On top of everything else, 363 00:26:46,360 --> 00:26:51,040 ancient Nabatean architects faced one more natural obstacle around Petra. 364 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:57,120 A 1,200 kilometer fault line marks where two tectonic plates meet, 365 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,600 the Arabian plate and the Sinai subplate. 366 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,640 The seismic risk is very high along this fault line. 367 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,800 Several earthquakes have struck Petra through the years, 368 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,240 leading to the destruction of structures 369 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:17,920 not built into the surrounding cliffsides. 370 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,240 Except for one, Qasr al-Bint. 371 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:36,440 In Bedouin Arabic, the name means "The Palace of the Pharaoh's Daughter," 372 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:40,560 but it was also thought to be the city's largest place of worship. 373 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:47,960 FALAHAT (in Arabic): The Temple of Qasr al-Bint 374 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:53,040 was one of the three temples 375 00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:57,280 in the center of Petra. 376 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:02,800 Construction of this temple began in the early first century BC and finished 377 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:07,440 in the first century AD, 378 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:13,360 during the time of King Aretas IV Philopatris. 379 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:17,320 This temple was built for the purpose of honoring 380 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,160 and worshiping the god Dushara, 381 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:26,120 the most popular god of the Nabatean Arabs in Petra. 382 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,160 NARRATOR: This temple was no ordinary construction. 383 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:34,000 It was built to withstand nature itself. 384 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:38,360 The Temple of Qasr al-Bint is a perfect square. 385 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:39,760 So, in an earthquake, 386 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:43,920 pressure hits evenly across all four sides of the monument, 387 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,280 reducing the overall impact. 388 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,240 To further protect their place of worship, 389 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,760 the Nabatean builders also used another strategy, 390 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,760 traces of which are still visible on the temple walls. 391 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:02,840 These horizontal grooves are actually the remains of ancient wooden beams. 392 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,320 When building the temple's load-bearing walls, 393 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,920 the architects added cedar beams at various levels. 394 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,640 Connecting to each other, 395 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:19,120 the beams served as reinforcement throughout the structure. 396 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:22,640 Since wood is more flexible than stone, 397 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:26,520 the beams could help absorb part of the pressure of an earthquake. 398 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,120 FALAHAT (in Arabic): Seismic waves propagate from bottom to top, 399 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:38,880 but when they come into contact with wooden planks, they disperse horizontally. 400 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,200 If the seismic wave continues to grow, 401 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,960 then it hits the other wooden planks higher up. 402 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,560 They also disperse the energy and ultimately 403 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,760 minimize the impact on the upper part of the building. 404 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,000 This technique has helped the temple 405 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:56,160 to remain standing in spite of its size. 406 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,520 It's the only monument built this way 407 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,400 and the only one still standing 408 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,280 despite the multitude of earthquakes that have struck this region. 409 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:12,680 NARRATOR: These unusual techniques allowed Qasr al-Bint to remain standing 410 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,440 for 2,000 years in the heart of the ancient city. 411 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,880 Earthquakes weren't the only challenge Petra's builders faced. 412 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:31,320 To survive, the desert city also needed to carefully manage its water supply. 413 00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:36,800 The average rainfall is about 15 centimeters a year here. 414 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,240 When the rain finally falls between December and March, 415 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,280 it can lead to devastating flash floods. 416 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:51,640 The city's architects had to capture any rainfall they could, 417 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:55,760 so they could supply the population with water throughout the year, 418 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:59,160 while also protecting themselves from flash flooding. 419 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:05,920 The walls of the Siq, 420 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,840 the narrow gorge marking the entrance to Petra, 421 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:13,280 hold clues to how the ancient builders controlled the flow of water. 422 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,280 QAIS TWEISSI: This carving channel came all the way from 423 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:27,280 the entrance of the Siq till the Treasury facade, 424 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:29,440 which is about 12,200 meter. 425 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:35,720 NARRATOR: The Siq is marked by channels in the cliffsides, 426 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:37,960 and more sophisticated systems. 427 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,960 Clay pipes actually built into the cliffs, 428 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,960 assembled in sections connected by waterproof coating. 429 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:54,640 Their diameter allowed for natural pressure within the pipes. 430 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:59,440 This meant the water could naturally flow toward the city center unobstructed, 431 00:31:59,520 --> 00:32:02,040 and even go up gentle slopes. 432 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:07,760 Further north of the city, 433 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,280 another site reveals the complexity 434 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,880 of this ancient city's infrastructure. 435 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,720 These were once Petra's water purification reservoirs. 436 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,680 TWEISSI: If you look to the edge of the cliff, 437 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:22,600 you can see a curving channel, 438 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:24,520 which is mostly destroyed. 439 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:29,640 The idea of this channel is to collect water from the top of the cliff, 440 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:33,760 and then firstly feed that big basin here, 441 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,960 which we can call it as the collection basin, 442 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:44,040 and the main use for this basin is to let silt 443 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:47,760 settle down for a while, and in this case, 444 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:51,360 they can be sure the water is getting somehow filtered, 445 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:53,440 and out of dirt. 446 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:55,800 And after that, when they are sure that 447 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,760 some of the water is getting filtered and is good, 448 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:02,480 through a small valve in this wall between the two basins, 449 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:06,080 the water go to this next small basin, 450 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,040 and is kept for the next step, 451 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,760 which is going again through this dam here 452 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:15,280 and another small valve in the dam, 453 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,520 and then through more cisterns, 454 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:20,720 water channels and pipes 455 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:23,200 to feed the rest of many 456 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:26,680 water cisterns in this area. 457 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:32,520 NARRATOR: Passing through multiple basins, 458 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:34,960 the water would settle little by little, 459 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:36,920 losing its impurities. 460 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,280 The final reservoir held clean drinking water, 461 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:43,880 which would then be piped into the city's water system. 462 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:50,520 Years of archaeological excavations have found that Petra's water system 463 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,240 was tremendously complex. 464 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,160 The city was surrounded by dams and a network of reservoirs 465 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:05,440 for storage and purification, along with long diversion canals, 466 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,560 all helping to avoid flooding 467 00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:11,160 while also storing the city's precious rainwater supply. 468 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:17,120 The city center contained dozens of kilometers of canals. 469 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:20,920 Water was routed along the cliffsides, 470 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,360 passed through the streets in aqueducts, 471 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:27,920 flowed over walls and fed into the city's many cisterns and reservoirs. 472 00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:33,920 TWEISSI: If we connect actually all the pipes together, 473 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:38,720 we can reach something like 170 kilometers of pipes in one line. 474 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,440 So, this gives us an idea of 475 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:45,000 how much work done to protect the site, and the region. 476 00:34:46,720 --> 00:34:50,880 PARADISE: Once they learned how to engineer that water for storage, 477 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:54,440 and built cisterns and storage facilities and reservoirs, 478 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:58,560 suddenly you just didn't have water that was available during seasons, 479 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,840 you had water available all year. 480 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:10,040 NARRATOR: Petra's mastery of water made it a genuine desert oasis 481 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:11,720 in just a few decades. 482 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:14,840 Next to the Great Temple in the city center, 483 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:18,800 the Nabateans even built a large, luxurious bathing complex 484 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,240 using thousands of liters of water. 485 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:31,960 The complex was fronted by a lush garden with numerous trees, 486 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:36,680 leading to a basin as large as an Olympic-size swimming pool. 487 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:39,960 In the middle, stood a richly decorated pavilion. 488 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,760 Thousands of years later, the site lies in ruins. 489 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:58,160 When archaeologists first began excavating here decades ago, 490 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:01,360 they never expected to find something so lavish. 491 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:12,320 FOURNET (in French): Before the excavations, none of this was visible. 492 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:15,000 These slopes appeared barren and undeveloped, 493 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:18,440 but once we excavated, we found remnants of what was here. 494 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,880 Excavations revealed an extremely complex system of pipes, 495 00:36:21,960 --> 00:36:26,280 hydraulic surfaces, and cisterns that were refined architecturally. 496 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:29,760 Archaeologists quickly realized that they were dealing with 497 00:36:29,840 --> 00:36:33,000 a highly complex system that included an open-air pool, 498 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:37,080 which had in the middle of it a large and extremely elegant pavilion. 499 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,440 And below the pool, there was a garden, 500 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:43,160 which was also very polished from an architectural standpoint. 501 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:45,960 The representation element was clearly present. 502 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:50,080 The entire system was supported by a series of cisterns and aqueducts 503 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,680 that brought water from all over the valley. 504 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,360 NARRATOR: But this wasn't the only luxurious use of water 505 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:00,800 in this 2,000-year-old desert city. 506 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,800 Further away, at the top of Jabal Khubthah, 507 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:07,880 was an even more sophisticated spot. 508 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:10,160 A gigantic thermal spa. 509 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:23,400 Its entrance was through a wide courtyard, 510 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,320 which opened onto a banquet room on one side, 511 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:28,280 and a frigidarium on the other. 512 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:32,160 The frigidarium held a pool of cold water, 513 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:34,560 the first stop for spa visitors. 514 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:40,920 The next room was the tepidarium, a warm-water pool. 515 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,720 It helped visitors adjust to the following hot rooms... 516 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:50,080 equipped with group basins large enough for two or three people. 517 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:55,000 [bell jingles] 518 00:37:55,080 --> 00:37:59,040 The discovery of this thermal spa was a surprise to archaeologists. 519 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:03,880 It was unusual to find such a complex site on the plains 520 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:05,680 overhanging the city center. 521 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,920 FOURNET (in French): Petra is well-known and very popular. 522 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:15,400 Once you take an interest in the ruins, 523 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:19,560 you realize that a lot of them are partially visible but unidentified. 524 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,040 That's why the initial idea was to create a map of the area 525 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:27,120 showing all the walls of which the top is more or less still visible. 526 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:29,960 Then, based on that map, we wanted to interpret 527 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:33,040 what Jabal Khubthah looked like in the past. 528 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:35,600 Imagine our surprise when the map revealed 529 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:39,800 all the well-known characteristics of traditional thermal architecture. 530 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:43,440 The excavation further revealed that despite its location, 531 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:48,120 on top of a massive cliff, there was really a thermal spa right where we stand. 532 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:51,960 NARRATOR: In the section containing the hot baths, 533 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:54,920 excavations uncovered a complex heating system 534 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:58,080 inspired by the Romans called a hypocaust. 535 00:38:59,240 --> 00:39:03,560 A hearth in a ventilated service room served as the main heat source. 536 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:08,320 Small openings connected it to the floors of the spa rooms, 537 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,560 funneling hot air and smoke underneath the hot bath 538 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:17,160 in an underground chamber constructed from stacked bricks, 539 00:39:17,240 --> 00:39:19,880 allowing heat to freely circulate. 540 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:25,720 The walls also held a network of clay water pipes, 541 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:29,280 which were connected to outlets on the roof of the building. 542 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:39,000 Other excavations revealed the ruins of nearby buildings, 543 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:42,360 part of a complex that covered the entire plateau. 544 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:51,920 FOURNET (in French): This is the aqueduct that fed into the baths and which 545 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,440 was connected to an expansive rain water retention network. 546 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:59,600 It ran all across this valley and fed into the water tower of the spa. 547 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:03,200 And of the other side there was an interesting rock sanctuary 548 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:07,040 that one could access via a staircase that used to be right here. 549 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:11,480 NARRATOR: The baths of Jabal Khubthah 550 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:14,680 drew inspiration from Greco-Roman thermal culture. 551 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,720 But this small sanctuary indicates that thermal practice here 552 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:25,240 may not have been simply for leisure, 553 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:27,800 but was likely connected to ritual. 554 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:38,240 In this complex towering over the city, 555 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:42,880 the wealthiest of Petra's inhabitants relaxed in luxurious style, 556 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:45,480 while taking in the view of their capital. 557 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:59,200 The Nabateans overcame nature's obstacles, 558 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:02,600 from the unforgiving desert and sheer cliffsides 559 00:41:02,680 --> 00:41:04,640 to tectonic instability. 560 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:12,080 In only 200 years, in an inhospitable landscape, 561 00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:17,040 this ancient civilization built a luxurious and extraordinary city. 562 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:27,800 FOURNET (in French): What's fascinating about the 563 00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:29,760 culture of the Nabateans is how, 564 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:32,000 in just a few centuries, they managed 565 00:41:32,080 --> 00:41:34,000 to become incredibly wealthy. 566 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:36,240 They wanted the best of the world, 567 00:41:36,320 --> 00:41:39,920 which meant they imported artisans, architects, materials, 568 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:42,560 and practices from the Greco-Roman world. 569 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:47,160 Since the Nabateans were able to get the cream of the crop and in record time, 570 00:41:47,240 --> 00:41:52,240 in less than two centuries, they built a city that was truly exceptional, 571 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:55,880 combining the very best elements from Rome and Egypt 572 00:41:55,960 --> 00:42:01,720 to create their own luxurious and exuberant mix of the two. 573 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,200 NARRATOR: In 106 AD, 574 00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:09,440 the Roman Empire annexed the Nabatean kingdom. 575 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:15,400 Over time, the city's structures were modified, transformed, 576 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:18,440 or even destroyed by Roman engineers. 577 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:21,760 The city was slowly abandoned, 578 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:24,800 and its location lost to history. 579 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:30,040 It would only be rediscovered in the early 19th century by a Swiss explorer. 580 00:42:30,840 --> 00:42:35,360 Ever since then, Petra has captivated its visitors. 581 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:40,360 PARADISE: It's easy for us to think that people in our past 582 00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:44,600 were not as clever and knowledgeable as we are now. 583 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:48,640 But when we look at the engineering expertise of the Nabateans then, 584 00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:52,320 I really think we're looking at a society, a community, 585 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:55,720 of amazing engineering skills. 586 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:59,160 They knew how to use the rock to their advantage, 587 00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:01,560 for storage, for decoration; 588 00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:03,880 they knew how to use a landscape 589 00:43:03,960 --> 00:43:06,600 covered with a beautiful soil 590 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:09,440 that would've been ideal for agriculture, 591 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:13,840 and they knew that water was the key and the source to their livelihood. 592 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:19,440 GRAF: We don't have any parallel for the Nabateans 593 00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:22,280 and their architecture elsewhere, 594 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:24,560 so it is fairly unique. 595 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:28,480 Their engineering skill, their artistic skill, 596 00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:30,560 their architectural skill, 597 00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:32,920 all of these are very impressive. 598 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:37,840 NARRATOR: Two thousand years later, 599 00:43:37,920 --> 00:43:40,320 mysteries still remain at Petra. 600 00:43:41,240 --> 00:43:44,640 Archaeologists, historians, and geologists 601 00:43:44,720 --> 00:43:48,480 continue to study the city's incredible structures. 602 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:54,680 Petra endures as an unparalleled monument 603 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:58,720 to the architectural mastery of its ancient builders.