Jordan contains Petra, the archaeological site famous for its rock-cut Treasury.
Petra lies in southern Jordan, between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The Nabataeans, an ancient Arab people, made it their capital and developed it into a major trading center. Its position connected routes carrying frankincense, spices, textiles, and other goods between Arabia, the Levant, and the Mediterranean.
The city is approached through the Siq, a narrow natural gorge. At its end stands Al-Khazneh, commonly called the Treasury, whose elaborate façade was carved into sandstone. Despite its name, there is no reliable evidence that the building was actually a treasury; its original purpose is often interpreted as a tomb or funerary monument.
Rome annexed the Nabataean kingdom in 106 CE. Petra later declined as trade routes changed and earthquakes caused damage. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1985, and it became one of the New Seven Wonders in a 2007 global vote.