Carved RooftopReclining on a rooftop carved two millennia ago, a Bedouin surveys the realm of the Nabataeans, whose ancient capital beckons from the sands of southern Jordan. Forgotten for centuries, Petra still echoes with mysteries of the past; this immense building, Al Deir (the Monastery), was probably a Nabataean shrine.—From “Petra: Ancient City of Stone,” December 1998, National Geographic magazine

Petra, Jordan Photos

See photos of Petra, Jordan (including the Treasury, Bedouin, and more) in this photo gallery from National Geographic.

Published November 5, 2009