Online Knowledge-based reports about Petra, Nabataea

—Studies, papers, reports and other online documents about the Nabataean culture and people. Some are scholarly reports (e.g., archaeology, etc.), others are of more general interest. Usually available as PDF-format documents. Although mostly text, some contain a profusion of photographs to illustrate the text. Quite a few are archived at Academia.edu, and may require an “account”—which is free and easily obtained by simply providing a valid email address. Others are publicly archived and available.

• Nabataean Jewellery and Accessories, by Eyad Almasri
  • — “Due to the lack of written information about Nabataean jewellery and accessories, the purpose of this research is to fill the gap in information about jewellery and its role in Nabataean society. The research uses archaeological findings to reach a better understanding…” (ResearchGate)
• Everyday Life of the Nabataeans in Ancient Petra; by Ziad Al-Rawadieh
  • — “This paper aims to shed some critical light on the use elements of daily life of Nabataeans in tourism by simulating that life with all its components (dresses, traditions, and some activities that are relevant to the Nabataean civilization).” (Academia.edu)
• Nabataean Wine Presses from Bayda; by Zeyad al-Salameen
  • — “This paper will deal with a number of Nabataean rock-cut winepresses from Bayda, about 5 km north of the Nabataean capital, Petra.” (Academia.edu)
• Kamkam the Nabataean Priestess; by Hatoon al-Fassi
  • — “The inscribed tomb of the woman Kamkam has generated speculation ever since its discovery. Dated to 1 BCE (making it one of the earliest-known Nabataean inscribed tombs), the tomb is that of a woman of Hegra who dedicated her tomb to her daughter and her daughter’s offspring. Kamkam is an unusual figure, and this paper proposes that her genealogy and deities mentioned in her tomb inscription indicate that she was in fact a priestess.” (Academia.edu) (NOTE: there is substantial dedicatory material near the front you will need to scroll through before getting to the paper itself)
• The Betyls of Petra; by Robert Wenning
  • — “The Nabataeans venerated their deities in betyls (aniconic stone slabs). This contribution, based primarily on a survey carried out by the author in Petra, offers an overview of the main aspects of these betyls. After a discussion of the terminology of the term “betyl,” the deities connected with betyls in Nabataean inscriptions are listed.” (Academia.edu)
• The Camel in the Nabataean Realm; by Laila Nehme
  • — “The contribution aims at presenting a synthesis of what we know about the uses of the dromedary camel in the Nabataean realm from the archaeological and epigraphic sources. It is based on various categories of material, including Nabataean inscriptions, terracotta fgurines and rock cut reliefs.” (Academia.edu) (NOTE: while the title pages and front matter are in the French, the body of the report itself is in English)
• Wheels in a land of camels: the chariot in Arabia; by M.C.A. Macdonald
  • — “Surprisingly, there are a handful of rock drawings of carts and chariots in the north of the Arabian Peninsula, in sand deserts and in areas covered with millions of basalt stones and boulders…they present an art-historical, and perhaps an ethnographic, puzzle.” (Academia.edu)
• Architecture and Deterioration in Petra; by Thomas Paradise
  • — “Since Petra’s construction 2000 years ago, natural and anthropogenic forces have been working to weather this delicate and unique sandstone and limestone architecture.” (ResearchGate)
• Petra: An Eroding Ancient City; by Naomi Lubick
  • — “the flash floods that created Petra’s canyons millions of years ago are now threatening to destroy it, aggravated by the increasing number of humans who flock to see what remains of the ancient site.” (Geotimes)
• Feasting with the dead: funerary marzeah in Petra; by Isabelle Sachet
  • — “Funeral banquets in Petra are evidenced primarily by archaeological remains. The many banquet halls in the Necropolis of Petra reflect a common practice in the Nabataean capital.” (Academia.edu)
• Dine with the Dead : A Study of the Concept of Marzeah Houses; by Urvi Akre
  • — “patterns detected in the mortuary remains of the past reflect the cultural values held by a community. One among the many rituals performed in the ancient Near East is that of funeral banqueting or the marzéah. ” (Academia.edu)
• Frankincense and the Nabataeans; by Zeyad al-Salameen
  • — “This paper sheds light on the frankincense trade which prospered during the classical period. It discusses the Nabataean involvement in this trade and reviews historical, archaeological and epigraphic evidence in this regard. It includes the publication of the first discovery of a Nabataean inscribed frankincense burner.” (Academia.edu)
• Goddesses, dancing girls, or cheerleaders?; by Michael Macdonald
  • — An interesting and detailed discussion of how assumptions on the part of an interpretor can considerably skew perception and understanding of various drawings and inscriptions left by other cultures. In this case, inscribed rock-drawings of female forms. (Academia.edu) (NOTE: while the title pages and front matter are in the French, the body of the report itself is in English)
• The Great Flood of Petra; by Tom Paradise
  • — “Using paleoflood reconstruction techniques, it is speculated that a catastrophic flood occurred in Petra during the 4th to 5th century AD. Evidence indicates that a low frequency, high magnitude event would have devastated the city.” (Academia.edu) 
• Hunting in Pre-Islamic Arabia; by Mohammed Maraqten
  • — “The hunting of wild animals for food, sport or for the defence of people and herds, was common in the ancient Near East, especially in early times. This paper gives a survey of hunting practices in pre-Islamic Arabia.” (Academia.edu)
• A Forgotten Treasure—The Secrets of the Mampsis Horde; by Renate Rosenthal-Heginbottom
  • — “More than 10,000 silver coins make up the Mampsis Hoard, the largest coin hoard ever discovered. The idea of this much silver coinage in a large bronze jar hidden in a mansion at Mampsis, a Nabateo-Roman- Byzantine settlement in the Negev desert, is today as stunning as it was at the time of its discovery in August 1966.” (Academia.edu)
• The Mysterious and Innovative Nabataeans; by The Medina Project
  • — “Among the ancient near east civilizations, the phoenicians and the nabataeans proved themselves as people of remarkable cultural sophistication. both the Phoenician and Nabataean societies were literate and writing was essential to several aspects of their organization: bureaucracy, commerce and religion.” (Academia.edu)
• Ancient Arabia: A brief history and timeline; by Michael Macdonald
  • • — A survey of the history of what is today called “Arabia,” including a history and timeline of Nabataea/Petra.