Places in Jordan - Little Petra (Baydah)

Due to the colour of the rocks, which are mostly white, the local people of Petra called it 'Baydah', (the white one). As the style of architecture is similar to Petra itself, but much smaller, they called it little Petra, a modern name given by archaeologists. Inside is a natural canyon called Siq al-barid, which the Nabataeans established as one of the most important caravan stations, as a preliminary site for the ancient traders, in preparation for the grand sales in the main part of petra the next morning.

Triclinums (big halls with three inner benches), were carved amongst the rocks of the Siq, to provide accommodation for the traders, as a luxurious caravan inn. Water was also abundant due to careful “harvesting”.

In the eighth millennium BC, pre-historic man settled in Baydah, and there are remains of an ancient Neolithic site dating back to 7500 BC, as one of the earliest co-operative villages on earth.