The City was lost, when the Roman Empire deteriorated, for seven centuries, Petra fell into the mists of legend, its existence a guarded secret known only to the local Bedouins and Arab tradesmen. Finally, in 1812, a young Swiss explorer and convert to Islam named Johann Ludwig Burckhardt heard locals speaking of a lost city hidden in the mountains of Wadi Mousa. In order to find the site without arousing local suspicions, Burckhardt disguised himself as a pilgrim seeking to make a sacrifice at the tomb of Aaron, a mission which would provide him a glimpse of the legendary city. He managed to reveal the secret of Petra to the modern Western world in 1812.
This information about the history of Nabataeans is only the tip of the iceberg; more may be exerted through history books. As for other relevant information about monuments of Petra one may refer to The journey begins.
