The red sandstone mountains in which Petra was nestled were well suited to this, and by the first century C.E., a monumental city had arisen in the middle of the desert.
Punased liivakivimäed, millel Petra paiknes, sobisid selleks hästi ning meie ajaarvamise esimeseks sajandiks oli keset kõrbe kerkinud tähelepanuväärne linn.