Nabatean culture

The Nabatean culture thrived around 200 BCE to 100 CE in what is now southern Jordan and northern Arabia. They were skilled traders and engineers, famous for carving elaborate tombs and water systems into desert cliffs like those at Petra. Their society combined Arab, Arabized, and Greco-Roman influences, evident in art, architecture, and religion. They worshiped deities such as Dushara and Al-Uzza, reflecting their polytheistic beliefs. The Nabateans were also adept at commerce, controlling key trade routes that exported incense, spices, and other luxury goods, which contributed to their wealth and cultural exchange.