The People of Petra The Nabataeans: A Desert People The story of
the city of Petra is veiled in mystery. It starts with a group
of Arabian nomads called the Nabataeans, who led fruitful lives
as desert traders. Scant clues exist to reveal exactly where
these migrants originated, but it is clear that they had
acquired control of the ancient incense and spice trade
throughout the Arabian Peninsula by the first century BC. What
remains unclear is why these successful, nomadic merchants
settled down, shifting to an urban lifestyle. As city dwellers,
the Nabataeans took pride in their prosperity. Inscriptions
carved in stone list religious offerings of silver and gold, and
monumental rock-cut tombs at Petra and the city of Hegra reveal
that the Nabataeans had great wealth and power. Petra was their
crown jewel, the thriving capital of Nabataea. Goatskin Tents to
Grand Facade The early Nabataeans disliked houses, believing
that buildings and immobility would enslave them to a more
powerful people. For reasons not f