Read the text about Petra, an ancient Arabian city.

The ancient city of Petra lies in the desert in the country of Jordan. Some people call it the ‘Rose City’ because its buildings, carved into sandstone cliffs, glow pink at certain times of day. Others call it the ‘Lost City’ because for centuries only nearby inhabitants knew it existed.

By 1812, Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt had heard stories of the lost city. But as a foreigner, Burckhardt suspected he would not be welcome there. So, he dressed like the people of the area and hired desert nomads as guides. After travelling across the desert, they entered the Siq, a long passageway between two high cliffs. This passageway was so narrow that it often blocked the sunlight. But at the end, it suddenly opened up. Before them lay the magnificent ruins of the ancient city.

Thousands of years ago, Petra was a bustling city along important trade routes. The people who lived in the city carved ornate structures right into the cliffs. One of the most famous is the Treasury, a tomb that stands over thirty metres tall. It probably held the remains of a king. It got its name because people believed the carved urn at its top contained the buried king’s treasure. Visitors can see the bullet holes in this pot where treasure hunters tried to crack it open and spill out its riches.Today, Petra has new life as a place of history and tourism. Visitors come from around the world to travel through the Siq and wonder at Petra’s amazing buildings. Petra has even been used as the setting in music videos and movies. In 2007, it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Although it’s been rediscovered in modern times, Petra still holds ancient secrets buried beneath the desert sand.