Lecture Summaries: 19 January, 2005
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The Twilight of the Nabataeans
by
Dr Konstantine D. Politis
The study of the ancient Nabataean people is still at its infancy. Even their origins are being debated. The development of their language, religion, architecture, sculpture and pottery types, are only now becoming better understood. When Nabataean culture ended and where its people went, remains an enigma.
Recent archaeological surveys and excavations in Petra, Meda’in Saleh and the Dead Sea region have shed some light on the twilight of the Nabataeans. They have revealed some compelling data indicating Nabataean cultural continuity beyond the 2nd century A.D. These include religious practices, funerary customs, inscriptions, art and architecture and even dress. This evidence suggests that the Nabataean people did not disappear from the scene, but rather, formed the basis of future Arabian society.