wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Two thousand years ago, ancient Petra was the wealthy capital of a powerful trading empire. In the 19th century, its ruins became a destination for wealthy tourists, but because the Jordanian government couldn't afford excavations, Petra's history remained largely unknown. Now archaeologists are piecing together a more complete picture of Petra in its heyday. Leonard talks to Andrew Lawler, author of the recent Smithsonian article "Reconstructing Petra"; and Christopher Tuttle, a Brown University graduate student in archeology who works on the site.

Go here for photos of Petra. Brown University's Petra excavation website also has many helpful photos and diagrams.

Slideshow: Petra