Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-11-07

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. II. c.
Hidden away in the rocky region
south of the Dead sea, midway be-
tween that deep depression and the
Gulf of Akaba is one of the strangest,
most beautiful, and most enchanting
spots upon this earth-the Rock City
of Petra.
The Bible throws light on the gene
sis of Petra, for 1t was founded by
the Edomites, descendants of Esac,
after his angry parting from Jacob.
In the days of the Nabatheans,
Petra became the central point to
which the caravans from the interior
of Arabia, Persia and India came
laden with all the precious commodi-
ties of the East, and from which these
commodities were distributed through
Egypt, Palestine, Syria and all the
countries bordering the Mediterra-
mean, for even Tyre and Sldon de-
rived many of thrir precious wares
and dyes from Petra.
Petra was at that time the Suez of
this part of the world, the place where
the East and West met to trade and
barter. II was also, in fact, great
safe deposit" into which the cara
vans poured after the vicissitudes and
dangers OF the desert It's wealth be-
came fabulous, and 1t Is not without
some good reason that the first rock
structure one sees In Petra, guard
Ing the mysterious entrance, Is still
called "Pharaoh's Treasury" 1t
must have been the Nabatheans who
developed the natural beauties of the
situation and increased the rock-cut
dwellings and temples and tombs to
the almost interminable extent in
which they are found today.
The palmy period Of the Ma
batheans extended from $50 b. g. to
100 A. d., when the Romans con-
luered the country and city, extended
two Roman roads into 1t, and estab-
lished the province of Arabia Petra.
The Rock City was always to these
regions and peoples what Rome was
to the Romans and Jerusalem to the
Jews Horites, Edomites, Nabatheans
and Romans have all rejoiced and
boosted In the possession of this
unique stronghold and most remark
able city of antiquity.
Lost for a Thousand Years.
When Romes power waned and the
fortified camps on the edge Of the
desert were abandoned, no doubt the
soldiers were withdrawn from such
cities as Petra. Then the Romanized
Nabatheans or Nabatheanlzed Romans
held their own against the desert
hordcs. as long as they could, and
went down probably about the same
time as tine Greek cities Of Decapo-
lis (G3GSA ID. From that time on
ward Petra's history became more
obscure, and for more than thou
sand years Edom's ancient capital
was completely lost to the civilized
world, Until its discovery by Burck-
harct. In 1912, Its site seems to have
been unknown except to the wander
ing Bedouin. -. Va.
II Is scarcely an exaggeration to
say that the entrance to the Rock
City Is the most striking gateway to
any city on our planet. 1t Is a mar
row rift or defile, bisecting mountain
Of many-hued sandstone. winding
through the rock as though 1t was
the most plastic of clay, This six,
or deflle, Is nearly two miles long. It's
general contour is wide semicircu-
lar swing from the right to the left.
with innumerable short bends, hav-
Ing sharp curves and corners in It's
general course.
Pharaoh's Treasury.
The width Of the six varies from II
feet at its narrowest point to So or
! 10 feet at other places Where the
gloomy walls actually overhang the
| roadway nd almost shut out the
| blue ribbon Of sky. II seems narrow
| or, and perhaps at many points
above the stream the walls do come
| closer than IA feet photographs OF
| these narrower and darker portions
| Il che defile are impossible.
| On ones first Journey into this