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Explore Petra with this Phenomenal Quiz

Sucheta Pradhan
Are you a history buff who loves visiting historic places around the world? Then take this curious quiz about Petra and test your knowledge of this enchanting city.
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Economic Prosperity
In the 4th century BC, Petra became the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. Ever since, the city became one of the major trading hubs owing to its strategic location at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe.
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Poetry in Color
The English poet, John William Burgon, called Petra “a rose-red city half as old as time” in his award-winning poem “Petra” that he wrote in 1845. Legend has it that Burgon had never seen Petra in his life.
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World Recognition
In 1985, UNESCO added Petra to its World Heritage List. In 2007, its Treasury building was also recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
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Entry Point
Siq is a naturally formed narrow gorge that is 1.2 km (0.7 mi) in length. When you enter the city through this gorge, you will be led directly to al-khazneh, Petra’s famous treasury building.
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Beautifully Built
Petra boasts different kinds of impressive structures such as royal tombs, roman amphitheater, sacrificial altars, pool & garden complex, and colonnaded streets too. However, there is no record of a stadium being found in Petra.
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Rightly Dated
The Roman governor of the Province of Arabia, Titus Aninius Sextius Florentinus, is known to have died in office by 129 A.D. Therefore, his tomb in Petra was built exactly during that period.
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Conspiracy Theory
According to the revisionist school of Islamic studies, Petra may have been the original Mecca as the earlier mosques faced Petra, not Jerusalem or current Mecca. However, this theory has been criticized and condemned by the traditionalists.
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Making Inroads
Christianity came to Petra not before 330 A.D. when the Roman emperor Constantine I, who was also a practicing Christian, took control of the city. This was almost 500 years after Petra was established as the major trading hub.
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Inhabiting the City
Almost 400 people were residing inside the historic structures of Petra until mid-1980s. However, when the Jordanian government undertook restoration of the site, the residents were resettled in the nearby town of Wadi Musa.
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Early Settlers
Beidha or Bayda is a neolithic settlement located only a few miles away from Petra. It was a pre-pottery civilization, which means that it dates back to almost 12,000 to 8,500 years ago.
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Lost and Found
In 1812, the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt who was extremely fluent in Arabic language discovered the lost city of Petra disguised as a local Arab. He then wrote about his findings in letters, notes, and journals.
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In Popular Culture
Petra has appeared in many media of popular culture including films, literature, painting, etc. In fact, in 2018, a playable map of Petra was added to a videogame named Overwatch too.
You have reached the end of this quiz. Now, let’s see how well you have done!