Time Scanners explore Petra

Recently, the PBS program Time Scanners traveled to modern day Jordan to explore what remains of the ancient city of Petra. On the ground, a team of laser-scanning experts set about trying to unlock the secrets of how several of the structures were built thousands of years ago.

Petra, a famous ancient city of the Levant founded by the Nabataeans, was immortalized in popular culture in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). In the background of the below picture, one can see brilliant temple carvings that were etched right into the rock face.

For years, researchers, historians, and archeologists considered that the rock face carvings may have been done by stone carvers hanging from the cliff face. But, having scanned several different structures, researchers with Time Scanners concluded that the temple faces were probably built with the aid of stone steps cut into the cliff that were eventually cut away to reveal the stone structure.

While Petra may not be the final resting place of the Holy Grail, as depicted in The Last Crusade, it was a very important ancient city. Petra was a desert oasis for many travelers and traders throughout the Levant and the broader region. The Nabataeans had learned to channel and control the region's most important resource: water. Running through channels and the world's first lead pipes (yes, pipes!) the water quenched the thirst of city-dwellers and travelers alike, and made Petra a premier trading spot.

A preview of the Time Scanners episode exploring Petra can be seen  below.