Educational Media Reviews Online

The picture is famous, yet mysterious. A majestic façade emerging from the rose colored cliff wall. An elegant building that is painstakingly carved directly into the rock itself. You may be familiar with it from posters or perhaps movies such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The city is Petra. The building is called the Treasury.

Established by the Nabataeans in the 6th century B.C., Petra was strategically located in southern Jordan, south of the Dead Sea. Trade flowed by from the east, the north and the west. The Nabataeans ruled Petra until approximately 100 A.D. when the city was taken by the Romans. Petra continued as an important city until shattered by a major earthquake in 363 A.D. After this, Petra ceased as to be as a city. Habitation of the area was periodic and temporary.

Myths surround Petra. While excavations show it to have been a major commercial city, it has been called a city of the dead. The area has been linked to the story of Moses and a possible pursuit by the Pharaoh; however, no proof exists that this is so. The building named the Treasury is now known to have been a tomb.

Unfortunately, I learned most of this from obliging web sites, such as the American Expedition to Petra (AEP) site at http://www.todacosa.com/petra/aep.htm. William and Adi McAbian’s documentary does little to dispel the popular myths of Petra. While many parts of the documentary are accurate, others stumble over the myths. The blurb on the back of the video claims that the inhabitants lived in tombs and temples and that Petra was “lost to the world.” The citizens may have lived in caves as well as houses; however, they did not live in the tombs. Nor was the location of Petra lost. At least not to the Eastern and Mediterranean world.

The documentary itself perpetuates the biblical stories that became associated with Petra during the Crusades. The history is not presented in a linear fashion and is therefore somewhat confusing. The maps shown are not labeled with enough detail to give a clear understanding as to Petra’s location. Also, there is the implication that violence is endemic to this region and not to others.

This documentary is not recommended due to its mix of fact and myth as well as the confusing presentation of the history. If it is shown, it should be considered supplemental material only. Written for junior high to adult audiences.