Jordan: Petra I (10/28/2023)

Saturday, October 28, 2023

Today was an all-day excursion, and once we entered Petra, we were on our own.

I [heart] Petra, which was a city of the Nabataeans
who traded in frankincense, myrrh and spices
from at least the first century BCE; it was annexed to 
the Roman empire and thrived until 106 CE when 
the trading route shifted from Petra to Palmyra

Along the first half-mile section were minor tombs cut into
sandstone; earthquakes in 363 and 551 destroyed much
of the city and it was abandoned by the 7th century

Considered a Lost City, Petra was always known to the Bedouins who lived in the cave-like tombs. It was "discovered" in 1812 by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who dressed as a Bedouin and reportedly brought along goats to augment his disguise, and convinced a real Bedouin to show him the ruins.

The Djinn Blocks are three cubic monuments, which
may have been tombs, but their purpose is unknown;
djinn is Arabic for spirit

Looking back to see all three blocks

Next to the Djin Blocks is an unfinished tomb and
a tomb with a stepped façade

The Snake Tomb

Above is the Obelisk Tomb with four nefeshes/pointed pillars,
not true obelisks, and below is the triclinium/dining room
for ritual banquets in honor of the deceased

The Nabataean dam and bridge was reconstructed to
continue its function of diverting flash floods away from the
Siq into a neighboring wadi/valley, in this case a gorge

The dam blocked the entrance to the Siq/shaft,
the passage toward the left, and the water passed
under the bridge to run toward the right

The Nabataeans dug a tunnel for the water to 
pass through to the next gorge

The entrance to the Siq,  a slot canyon formed
by tectonic forces at a fault, and later
smoothed by flooding waters

The walls of the Siq stand 91-182 m/
299-597' tall and it runs for 1.2 km/0.75 mile

This is the south-side base of the arch
that crossed over the entrance to the Siq;
the votive niche would have held a
figure of the reigning gods of the time

The stone walls were veined, likely with manganese

Fascinating shapes in the gorge

In some places the Siq is only 3 m/10' wide

Once the entire length of the Siq had man-
made water channels running on both sides

Another votive niche where the six small pillars
at the top are interpreted as betyls/sacred stones

Section of original paving in the Siq

A boulder carved with a relief designed
like a temple gate, in which are carved
two betyls (difficult to see unless you note
the bases of the betyls behind the fence)

An interesting geologic formation

A narrow shortcut

Aww, puppies!

Sandstone in red, black, and yellow

Sabinos Alexandros Station, a row of votive niches,
some with Greek inscriptions indicating they were
created after the Nabataean period; the "station"
is named for one of the donors mentioned by name

We figured we were taking a photo of the
lower half of a man, but did not realize
that next to him were the feet of a camel!

A fig tree

At last, the end of the Siq

Called the Al-Khazneh/the Treasury, this
is actually a mausoleum cut into the rock cliff
(or diod it have another purpose?)

The "Treasury" may have been the burial place of a king or queen, and it seems to have been inspired by Ptolemaic architecture in Alexandria. The Bedouins believed an Egyptian king hid treasure in the stone urn at the top.

Now we follow another wadi, past Bedouin vendors,
including one using a mini-blower to dust his wares

The Street of Façades with a row of tombs, one after
another; including the Treasury, all of these tombs
 were once covered with stucco and painted

Someone has turned one of the tombs
into the "Starbucks Cave"

This tomb has been carved on three sides;
this façade is topped by crow-steps

The whole area of Petra was filled with debris from
earthquakes and floods, and these façades are still half-buried

The Theater Necropolis has smaller tomb façades;
here Kent waited with a pal while I attempted the
trail to the High Place of Sacrifice

Looking back down at the half-buried tombs, and
noting the sandy-dust covered solar panels

I  probably should have taken a donkey up the steep trail,
since I made the mistake of bringing nothing but my camera

Now looking down at the Theater Necropolis

Okay, I was severely dehydrated with
shaky legs, and knew I had to return

Yes, I came back down without finding the
sacrificial platform with carved channels
to drain the blood of sacrificial animals

High on the opposite cliff is the Uneishu
Tomb in Hegra-style, with a [reverse]
stepped gable and double cornices

Next: Petra II.