This was the home to the Edomites, the descendants of Esau. “Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom” (Gen. 36:8). It was into Seir that Jacob came to reconcile with his brother, Esau. The Biblical names of Petra are Seir and Sela. The Edomites didn’t leave a literary record of their history, so archaeology is the only source of knowledge we have about them.
