Nabataean Lost Kingdom of Petra

2015, 30 minutes

Soaring over the sandstone cliffs of the Jabal Madhbah across the eastern end of the valley Arabah, it is easy to miss the carved city of Petra in Jordan. But if you look carefully through the long narrow gorge called the Siq, you will be amazed by the beauty and detail of this ancient rock-cut city, built over 2,000 years ago as the capital of the Nabataean empire. The smooth columns and detailed facade, combined with the dramatic rosy orange  layers of sandstone, create an imposing and impressive monument to this ancient culture. It is a place where beauty and ingenuity were combined to survive both the arid lifestyle of the desert and the sporadic flash floods. It is a place of ancient and mysterious traditions and a testament to the creativity of mankind.

This is one episode of the television series BIG PICTURE EARTH. Inspired by the Walt Whitman poem "There Was A Child Went Forth," this 20 x 30 minute series takes viewers on a visual exploration of the most majestic spaces on the planet, engaging both the detail and the big picture vistas in these spectacular destinations.  The series is available for domestic and international audiences via on-demand streaming on CuriosityStream, in 4k resolution (twice that of HD television). The editorial style and pacing is slow and relaxed, constantly moving like a child, like a bird, like a bee.  There are no actors, no narration, no music, no spoken words at all.