Petra's Hidden Origins | Lost Cities with Albert Lin (Full Episode)

National Geographic23 minutes read

Albert Lynn and his team use modern technology to explore the past, uncovering a lost nean city predating Petra with hidden water tanks and evidence of permanent settlement in the desert. The neans' transition from nomadic life to settling in caves symbolizes a crucial shift in their consciousness, reflected in their architectural evolution and water engineering achievements.

Insights

  • Muhammad's use of 21st-century technology like rock art scanning unveils the nean trade routes and settlements, showcasing their intricate network of trade and the importance of camels as signposts.
  • The transition of the neans from nomadic life to settling in cities like Cella and Petra signifies a significant shift in consciousness, leading to permanent settlements with advanced city planning, water harvesting techniques, and societal progress, highlighting their architectural evolution and societal advancements.

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Recent questions

  • What is the significance of the neans' transition from nomadic life to settling in caves at Cella?

    The transition of the neans from a nomadic lifestyle to settling in caves at Cella marks a pivotal shift in their consciousness, signifying the establishment of a permanent home. This shift allowed for the development of a more stable and structured society, enabling them to create a network of trade routes and settlements. By choosing to settle in caves at Cella, the neans were able to establish a foundation for more permanent living arrangements, leading to advancements in architecture, societal structure, and religious practices.

  • How did the neans utilize rainwater harvesting at Cella for permanent settlement in the desert?

    The neans at Cella utilized rainwater harvesting as a crucial method for enabling permanent settlement in the desert. Through the discovery of 51 underground tanks holding 200,000 gallons of rainwater, the neans were able to secure a sustainable water source for their community. This innovative water management system allowed them to thrive in an otherwise arid environment, showcasing their ingenuity and adaptability in creating a thriving settlement in challenging conditions.

  • What architectural evolution can be observed in the nean city from Cella to Petra?

    The architectural evolution from Cella to Petra showcases the neans' progression in city planning and construction techniques. While Cella, located on a barren mountaintop, featured basic dwellings and water tanks for rainwater harvesting, Petra demonstrated advanced city planning with elaborate structures and post holes for verandas. The transition reflects the neans' development in wealth, societal structure, and architectural styles, culminating in the creation of a thriving city with intricate designs and advanced infrastructure.

  • How did the neans demonstrate advanced water engineering in Little Petra?

    In Little Petra, the neans showcased their advanced water engineering skills through the creation of a sophisticated water distribution system. Archaeologists uncovered evidence of a massive dam and terraces used for cultivating olives, wheat, and fruit trees, transforming the desert landscape into a fertile oasis. The presence of a show home with a lush fresco depicting a vibrant, green landscape highlights the neans' mastery of water harvesting techniques, allowing them to sustain agricultural practices and create a flourishing environment in an otherwise arid region.

  • What societal progress is showcased in the ruins of Herber Ed Daria, an ancient nean city?

    The ruins of Herber Ed Daria, an ancient nean city, display incremental societal progress through innovative city planning and architectural features. The city layout includes houses, cooking areas, and a bathhouse, indicating advancements in urban planning and infrastructure. Additionally, the central temple where nean Kings performed animal sacrifices provides insight into their religious practices and societal structure. The evolution from basic settlements to a more organized city with designated areas for various activities reflects the neans' progress in societal development and cultural sophistication.

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Summary

00:00

Lost Nean City Predates Petra by Centuries

  • Petra in Jordan is a stunning city, but it's not the beginning of the story; there's a lost city nearby.
  • Albert Lynn uses 21st-century technology to explore the past, uncovering hidden worlds beneath deserts, jungles, and oceans.
  • The neans, nomadic tribes who built Petra, left signs in rocks for trade routes, using camels as signposts.
  • Muhammad scans ancient rock art to build a database, revealing the nean trade routes and settlements.
  • The neans traded exotic goods like frankincense, creating a vast network of trade routes across harsh landscapes.
  • Aerial archaeologist Bob Buy helps locate a nean city hidden in the mountains, predating Petra by hundreds of years.
  • Cella, a nean city, is a treasury for silver, worth millions today, located on a barren mountaintop with no water source.
  • Albert and his team climb 3,000 ft to explore Cella, finding evidence of ancient dwellings and water tanks for rainwater harvesting.
  • Lar data reveals 51 underground tanks at Cella, holding 200,000 gallons of rainwater, enabling permanent settlement in the desert.
  • The neans' transition from nomadic life to settling in caves at Cella marks a crucial shift in their consciousness, leading to a permanent home.

25:50

Nebane architecture evolution from survival to opulence

  • Relics in the museum show a shift in nebane architecture from survival to opulence, with finely carved statues resembling ancient Greek and Roman styles.
  • Scanning the relics allows for the creation of 3D models, revealing intricate details like chisel marks, capturing the neans' Renaissance moment.
  • The ruins of Herber Ed Daria, an ancient nean city, display innovative city planning, including houses, cooking areas, and a bathhouse, showcasing incremental societal progress.
  • The city features a central temple where nean Kings performed animal sacrifices, highlighting their religious practices and societal structure.
  • A digital scan of the temple's facade, adorned with museum relics, offers a complete vision of the nean city, showcasing their architectural evolution from Cella to Petra.
  • Petra, a thriving nean city, demonstrates advanced city planning with post holes for verandas and elaborate structures reflecting their wealth and architectural styles.
  • Little Petra, an upscale area, reveals a show home with a lush fresco portraying a vibrant, green landscape, showcasing the neans' advanced water engineering for water harvesting.
  • Archaeologists uncover evidence of the neans' water distribution system, including a massive dam and terraces for cultivating olives, wheat, and fruit trees, transforming the desert into a fertile oasis.
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