"The Nabateans inhabited the Negev and Transjordanian desert around the time of Christ. A wealthy and largely peaceful people, they cultivated the desert and traded in spices and frankincense from Saba, Persia and India to the Mediterranean. They were among the first Christian converts who built some of the earliest churches in the Negev." "Udi Levy provides a fully illustrated description of the Nabateans, their art, history and religion, and the desert agriculture in which they were so skilled. He weaves a fascinating picture of a peace-loving people developing their highly advanced culture in the war-torn region of Palestine." "The book guides the reader through the best-preserved ruins and monuments of Petra and the desert cities of the Negev, and gives many practical hints for the visitor."--BOOK JACKET.