Petra: The Rose-Red City as Old as Time
Dr. Steven Derfler, Executive Director, Educational Resources, Inc.
As one travels south from Amman, Jordan into the fringe of the Arabian Desert, the land of Edom, one begins to encounter the world of the Nabatean Arabs. Long considered to be the controllers of the overland Spice Routes from the Indian Subcontinent to the Mediterranean Sea, the Nabateans were an enigmatic people. However their capital would be found on the eastern extremity, near the Wadi Rum and Wadi Mousa, at Petra, in Edom. Extending as far as the eye can see, this is a jumbled landscape of brilliant-hued sandstones that became isolated by geologic time and space. It is the invisibility of Petra that guarded it and ensured its prosperity.
An international educational consultant, public speaker, archaeologist, historian, researcher, teacher and writer, Dr. Derfler has been uncovering the histories of Ancient Civilizations for 40 years. Tracing the development of western religions from their roots in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean countries, Dr. Derfler brings insight to current political and social events, bridging the past with the future to promote greater understanding between people from different faiths and walks of life.