A narrow canyon leading into the city

Which film used the Treasury as the hiding place of the Holy Grail?

Lawrence of Arabia and the Desert Kings

How did the Nabataeans supply water to Petra in the desert?

With channels, dams and cisterns

Petra Quiz: Jordan's Rose-Red City Carved in Stone

This Petra quiz explores the ancient city in Jordan carved by the Nabataeans, from the narrow Siq and the famous Treasury to the Monastery, the Roman theater, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt's 1812 visit, the Bedouin of Petra and the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Ten questions.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 90 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 90s

Location
Petra is located in which country?
History
Which ancient people carved Petra and made it their capital?
Landmarks
What is Petra's most famous carved facade, seen at the end of the Siq, called?
Entrance
What is the Siq?
Nickname
Petra is often called the rose-red city because of what?
Rediscovery
Which Swiss explorer reached Petra in 1812, bringing it to European attention?
Landmarks
Which huge facade, reached by climbing about 800 steps, is called Ad Deir?
Films
Which film used the Treasury as the hiding place of the Holy Grail?
Rome
Which empire annexed Petra and the Nabataean kingdom in AD 106?
Water
How did the Nabataeans supply water to Petra in the desert?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Petra is located in which country?
Answer: Jordan
Petra lies in southern Jordan, between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. It is Jordan's most visited site.
Q2: Which ancient people carved Petra and made it their capital?
Answer: The Nabataeans
The Nabataeans grew rich by controlling desert trade routes for incense, spices and other valuable goods moving between Arabia and the Mediterranean.
Q3: What is Petra's most famous carved facade, seen at the end of the Siq, called?
Answer: The Treasury
Its local name is Al-Khazneh. A legend said pirates hid treasure in the stone urn at the top.
Q4: What is the Siq?
Answer: A narrow canyon leading into the city
The Siq winds for about 1.2 kilometers between cliffs up to 80 meters high before revealing the Treasury.
Q5: Petra is often called the rose-red city because of what?
Answer: The color of its sandstone
The sandstone cliffs range from pink and red to orange and purple, changing color with the light.
Q6: Which Swiss explorer reached Petra in 1812, bringing it to European attention?
Answer: Johann Ludwig Burckhardt
Burckhardt traveled in disguise as a Muslim scholar. Local Bedouin had long known about the site.
Q7: Which huge facade, reached by climbing about 800 steps, is called Ad Deir?
Answer: The Monastery
The Monastery is even larger than the Treasury. Donkeys carry some visitors up the rock-cut steps.
Q8: Which film used the Treasury as the hiding place of the Holy Grail?
Answer: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The 1989 film made Petra famous with a new generation, though the interior scenes were filmed elsewhere.
Q9: Which empire annexed Petra and the Nabataean kingdom in AD 106?
Answer: The Roman Empire
The Romans added colonnaded streets and expanded the theater. Later, earthquakes and shifting trade routes led to the city's decline.
Q10: How did the Nabataeans supply water to Petra in the desert?
Answer: With channels, dams and cisterns
Their clever water system collected rain and spring water, allowing a city of perhaps 20,000 people to thrive.

Petra Quiz – The City Carved Into Rock

Petra is one of the world's most remarkable ancient cities. Hidden among rugged mountains in southern Jordan, it was carved directly into rose-colored sandstone cliffs more than 2,000 years ago. Its tombs, temples and facades combine local traditions with Greek and Roman styles, creating a place unlike anywhere else.

The city was built by the Nabataeans, an Arab people who became wealthy by controlling trade routes that carried incense, spices and textiles between Arabia, Egypt and the Mediterranean. They developed an advanced water system of channels, dams and cisterns that allowed a large population to live in the desert. In AD 106, Petra became part of the Roman Empire.

Over time, earthquakes and changing trade routes caused Petra to decline, and it was largely forgotten by the outside world. Local Bedouin continued to live nearby, and in 1812 the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt reached the city in disguise. His reports brought Petra to the attention of Europe.

Today, visitors enter through the Siq, a narrow canyon that suddenly opens to reveal the Treasury. Further on are royal tombs, a Roman-style theater and the huge Monastery, reached by about 800 steps. Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and it appeared in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

This quiz covers the history, landmarks and legends of Petra.

Visiting Petra takes time and energy. The site is spread over a large area, with many trails climbing to high places such as the Monastery and the High Place of Sacrifice. Visitors are advised to start early, carry water and wear sturdy shoes. Many spend two or three days exploring, staying in the nearby town of Wadi Musa, named after a spring linked to the story of Moses.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is perfect for travelers, history fans and anyone who loves ancient wonders.

Where Petra is and who built it
How the Nabataeans became rich
What the Siq, Treasury and Monastery are
How Petra was rediscovered
How the city supplied water in the desert
Petra's role in films

Quick Facts About Petra

Petra by Night lights the Siq and Treasury with candles on certain evenings.
Only a small part of Petra has been excavated.
The site covers an area of more than 260 square kilometers.
Little Petra, nearby, was a stop for traveling merchants.
The Roman theater could seat several thousand people.
Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.