Teacher's Guide for DIG ^TM Petra, Jordan

Understanding Trade

Objective:

To introduce students to the concept of trade.

Procedure:

Before students read the magazine, initiate a discussion of "trade." What do students trade among themselves? What gives value to their trades? Help students to recognize that sometimes people "trade" goods for goods (barter) and sometimes they trade goods for money (commerce). Have students share ways in which they have bartered or engaged in commerce. Brainstorm with students where their family cars, food, and clothing might come from and list answers on board.

Divide the students into groups to research the origins of cars, clothing, and food in their families and community. Sample activities could include a survey of the school parking lot for car manufacturers and a survey of peers to list their family cars' manufacturers. Students could graph their results to show the percentage of cars made in Japan, Germany, US, France, etc. Students could list the foods they ate over a three-day period and determine countries of origin; then graph or present the results. Do their survey results match with their anticipated results from brainstorming? Did they discover any surprises? Note that some products which carry a USA trademark might have parts that were made elsewhere.

Follow Up:

On a map mark the countries of origin for food, cars, and clothing with different colored pins. Discuss where goods come from and by what type of transport they might reach the consumer. Ask how life might change with the introduction of a new product, such as the hybrid car, or what might happen if trade stopped between one country and another. Explore how new ideas might enter into a country along with trade in products.

Vocabulary

Petra Rocks includes many specialized words pertaining to architecture:

artisan, betyl, capital, caravanserai, cassette, colonnade, cornice, fa'§ade, fresco, lintel, relief, niche, stucco, volute

Other unusual words relate to archeology, geography, and trade:

asphalt, bitumen, epigraphic, massif.

List these on the board and encourage students to notice and think about these words as they read. Challenge students to work these words into their dinner table conversation at home or discussions at school.

pp. 6 - 9

1. Why do archeologists believe that the Nabataeans brought workers from other cities and countries?
2. Why do you think the masons carved Al Khazna, the Treasury, from top to bottom? Why didn't they start at the ground and work up?
3. What does it mean when the Great Temple is called a free-standing structure? How is that different from the Theater?

pp. 10 - 11

1. Why did the Nabataeans build out of rock?
2. How do you think GPS or global positioning satellite systems have changed the science of archeology?

pp. 13 - 15

• List ways in which Nabataeans conserved their water. What are the modern equivalents?

pp.16 - 17

• Why does the author conclude that the water garden may have been a status symbol for Petra?

pp. 20 - 21

1. What made Petra a center of trade during Nabataean times?
2. What did the Nabateans offer to traders?
3. How did changes in trade routes lead to Petra's loss of independence?
4. Brainstorm ways in which Petra could have kept its trade leadership.

pp. 23

• Why do you think Jordan enforces a law saying that no archeological finds can be removed from the country?

pp. 26 - 27

• Think like an archeologist. Christian Cloke presents the mystery of the Petra elephant carvings. Brainstorm other reasons why Petra artisans might have used elephant capitals. Then list what sorts of evidence archeologists might find to support your idea.

pp. 30 - 31

• Why are samples of ancient writing important? What can they teach us?

1. Archeologists don't just dig in the dirt. They have many different skills which they use to decipher and understand past civilizations. List the types of jobs archeologists did at Petra to discover more about the Nabatean civilization.
2. Some archeologists think that Al Khazna was never finished. Draw or paint a finished Al Khazna as you imagine it.
3. Make a global timeline for the period during which Petra was built, 100 BC to 100 AD. Show what was happening in each major civilization of the world, such as, China, the Indian subcontinent, the Roman Empire, the Middle East, North and South America, etc.
4. Create a book or poster about Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, Petra's first explorer.
5. Compare the roles of Harun / Aaron and Musa / Moses in the three major religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which originated in the Middle East.
6. Read about the Nabatean god Dushara and share your findings with the class.
7. The Nabataeans wrote on stone, marble, and papyrus. Modern man writes on paper and electronically. Explore how different materials and methods change communication.
8. Map the trade routes which passed through Petra; pay special attention to the Silk and Incense roads. Check your map against the areas mentioned in "Trade Leads the Way." Did you include each city and country mentioned?

1. Imagine that one of Petra's rose-red rocks (or buildings or carvings) could speak. Write its story.
2. Imagine that you are an archeologist packing two bags (Maximum weight: 40 pounds) to go to Petra for three months on a dig. What would you take with you? What would you leave behind?
3. Imagine that you are in the pleasure garden or the Grand Temple of Petra. Write a poem that captures the sensations of all your five senses.

www.brown.edu/Departments/Anthropology/Petra/

Dr Martha Joukowsky's work on the Petra site is explored in detail.

http://almashriq.hiof.no/jordan/900/930/petra/myth/

This includes a short piece at the end of the main article about the daily life of a working archeologist.

www.mit.edu:8001/activities/jordanians/jordan/petra.html

Written from a tourism / travel perspective, this site includes more photographs of Petra.

www.sas.upenn.edu/~lbedal/lowermarket.html

More information on the pool complex at Petra.

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Updated: 9/2/10 10:54 am
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