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Published: November 25th 2011
My First Look
This was my first look, through the mouth of the Siq, of the Treasury.I walked on into the darkness, guided by a series of dimly flickering candle lanterns. The candlelight revealed the sandy ground and about ten feet of the wind-worn walls of the narrow Siq in a mysterious, red glow. It was a cool night, yet the sand felt warm on my sandaled feet. Despite the steady flow of tourists walking in front of me and behind me, all was silent. Every one of us was completely lost in the moment, eagerly waiting and wondering if what we had come to see would appear just around the next corner. Slowly our procession wound its way deeper into the narrow canyon. The star-filled sky was hidden from our view, except for a narrow sliver that flowed like a sparkling river across the shadows of the upper part of the Siq’s freeform walls. I shuffled my feet in the warm sand, partly because it helped cut the night’s chill, but, also, because I was too mesmerized by the atmosphere to consciously raise my foot with each step. The view I had waited so long to see could have been just around the next corner and I didn’t want to miss it. Eventually the lanterns got
closer together revealing more details in the Siq’s walls. Mysterious melodies came and went on the wind, slowly at first. With each step the haunting tune lingered a bit longer, filling the Siq with the sounds of ancient Arabia. I came around a corner and the music shed its muffled tones and flowed at me unobstructed. In the shadows in front of me I could see the end of the Siq and, beyond it, the view I had been waiting for – The narrow sliver of the grand façade of the Treasury framed by the mouth of the Siq! I turned to my friend Rebecca, who I had met earlier in the day on the bus from Wadi Rum, and smiled. I paused, set up my tripod and did my best to capture my first look through the mouth of the Siq and then I continued beyond its walls to see the full grandeur of Petra’s most famous building. I wasn’t prepared for what I found on the other side.
There were about one hundred people sitting on the sand at the edge of a large field of candle lanterns. The light from hundreds of candles lit
the entire façade of the Treasury in red light before tapering off into shadow just beyond the depression that the façade had been carved out of. A Bedouin man stood in the field of candles playing a traditional stringed instrument. The high-pitched twang of its strings had been filling the Siq with timeless Arabian melodies for last five minutes or so and it was those same sounds that welcomed me to the night’s main event. The stringed melodies continued for some time before the man finished his songs and quietly walked away. A few minutes later, the silence was broken again by the soothing tones of a Bedouin flute flowing from the shadows. The crisp notes flowed all around us and bounced off of the ancient stone walls in intoxicating reverberations that went straight to my soul. The flute’s melodies serenaded us as they flowed into our imagination, transporting us straight into the mysterious pages of the Thousand Nights and a Night. As the man played he walked out of the shadows in the giant doorway of the Treasury and walked down the ancient stone steps into the field of candles. It was the most magical musical performance I had
experienced in years! The last notes of the Arabian flute flowed across my imagination and then silence set in again. The show was over, so I took one last look at the candle lit façade and then we walked back into the Siq, quietly reliving every note from the flute as we went.
Later, in a small restaurant back in Wadi Musa, Rebecca and I relived our first visit to Petra while we ate some much-needed food. We had both been introduced to the ancient city in the same way when Indiana Jones, his dad, also Dr. Jones and Sallah followed the bad guys into the ‘Canyon of the Crescent Moon’ in search of the final resting place of the Holy Grail. In the movie the Siq was the stand-in for the fictional canyon and the Treasury, locally known as Al-Khazna, was the temple that had concealed the grail since the time of the Crusades. Our first introduction of the place was when the trio came around a corner and saw the ancient façade through the narrow opening at the mouth of the Siq. When they ran out into the opening we got the grand view of
The Haunting Sounds of Arabia
The ghostly Bedouin man in the foreground played one of the most amazing musical performances of my life on his flute. the whole façade and then they ran to the doorway and entered. That was it - For all we knew, there was nothing more to Petra than what we had seen in the movie. We were both glad that we got to see the famous view of the Treasury for the first time by candlelight. For me, it allowed me to walk in the footsteps of Indiana Jones and see the Canyon of the Crescent Moon and the final resting place of the Holy Grail as if it was the same fictional place that I had seen in the movie. I didn’t learn anything new about Petra during my first visit, other than, perhaps, that the Siq seemed to go on forever. All of the interesting features along the way to the Treasury had been shrouded in darkness. It was just us and the Siq and our first look through its mouth, just like Indiana Jones had seen it, but at night. We, of course, knew that there was much more to Petra than what we had seen in the movie, a great article in National Geographic had filled in those blanks, so we were excited to see it all
Indiana Jones Was Here
The locals clearly know how important the movie was to their economy. in the sunlight. We made plans to meet in the lobby of the Petra Gate Hotel, where we both were staying, early the next morning and then we went back to our rooms for some much needed rest. We had seen the fictional Canyon of the Crescent Moon, but it was time to see the real rose-red city of Petra!
The next morning started early. Rebecca was only spending a day at Petra, so we were going to do a comprehensive tour of the famous parts of the city. On our way out of town we stopped to get some food for lunch and some snacks and then we walked out of town. About half an hour later we arrived at the main entrance of the site. I could only smile at the abundance of Indiana Jones references, like the ‘Indiana Jones Snack Shop’, or the ‘Indiana Jones Souvenir Shop’ – It was clear that the locals knew what an important effect the movie had had on the local tourism industry. At the gate we purchased our tickets, I opted for the three day pass, and then we headed off into the desert. The wide sandy path
Tower Tombs
These are some of the first structures I came to on the walk to the Siq. that led to the Siq had seemed so remote and devoid of features by candlelight, but that was definitely not the case. We passed the horse stables and several other unmarked, rock-cut rooms and then we started getting into some amazing architecture. There were a few freestanding tombs carved out of solid rock in the shape of rectangular towers. At closer inspection, nearly every rock face along the path had been altered in some way. We excitedly explored the Obelisk Tomb, named for the four obelisks on its roof, and the Triclinium – Everything was open and exploring them seemed to be encouraged, so we had a blast. As I explored these first tombs one of my sandals exploded - The ankle strap (the one that goes under the heel) broke and turned my beloved Chaco sandal, which I had walked on all seven continents with, into a floppy flip-flop. It was sad, but it worked well enough to continue exploring.
Eventually we came to the start of the Siq. Off to the right of the trail was the first evidence of the true genius of the vast site, a giant, hand carved tunnel that had been
The Obelisk Tomb
and the Triclinium. built by the Nabateans to direct storm water away from the narrow Siq. The tunnel was only a tiny portion of Petra’s civil engineering marvel, which directed rainwater away from the delicate façades of the ancient tombs and collected it in giant underground cisterns for use as drinking water, or out into the desert to irrigate the fields. The vast network of water channels and cisterns made it possible for the city to prosper in the harsh desert environment and allowed Petra to grow into an important stop at the crossroads of several caravan routes. It was the abundant water supply and the natural fortress of the surrounding mountains and canyons that led the Nabateans to select the site to build their capital. Petra prospered there from the sixth century BC until well after the Romans took over in 106 AD. In 363 AD a large earthquake destroyed several of the buildings and badly damaged the water system that had allowed the city to thrive. After that Petra fell into ruin, though it was never really forgotten. In 1812 the first Europeans came in and reintroduced the ancient city to the western world. By then the site had been badly
The Monumental Arch
The two carved mini-facades supported a monumental arch in ancient times. There are still a few blocks from the arch above them. looted and nomadic Bedouin herders had been using the buildings as shelter for centuries.
We continued to the Siq, retracing our footsteps from the night before. At the entrance we found two small façades carved into the walls, one on each side of the canyon. At the top of the façades I could just make out the remnants of a monumental arch that had spanned the chasm in ancient times. A famous lithograph that David Roberts did in 1839 showed the arch intact, so its demise was a relatively recent occurrence. The Siq’s narrow walls towered over our heads. At times its wavy heights reached out over our heads, completely concealing the sky. Water channels had been carved into the base of the walls of the Siq. They snaked their way along the canyon following the contours of the rock as they went. In places the ancient channels had been restored in an effort to bring them back to a functioning state, but most were still intact and ready to collect the next rain. We came to a place where the water channel passed behind the feet and legs of two ancient statues that had once decorated
the canyon. The statues had been hewn directly out of the walls of the Siq and were one with the canyon walls. Though badly eroded, they hinted at the grandeur of Petra in days long past. I was mesmerized by every mysterious nook and cranny in the Siq, so much so that I almost missed the famous view of the Treasury. We paused to take in the view and then we continued into the outer canyon to see the full grandeur of the Treasury in the sunlight.
The Treasury’s ground level had six smooth Corinthian columns, the outer two on each side separated by worn, monolithic statues. The two center columns were the only true columns, in that they were carved on all sides. The stairs led up between the two center columns to a large entry carved with three monumental doorways, one on each of the three walls. Above the columns rose the architrave and the pediment, both carved with well-preserved details. A second level rose up out of the pediment and had six smaller columns, separated into three pairs, each separated by more lovely, but worn statues. There was another, three-part architrave and a pediment
Monolithic Statues
These statues were caved out of the canyon wall and the water channel runs behind them. above the second level of columns, the center portion being circular in shape and topped with a large, monolithic urn. The façade looked every bit like the classic Greek temples, except it was well preserved!
We walked past a pair of camels that were sitting in the sand waiting for their next riders and then we walked up to the Treasury, pausing to look down in a pit in the canyon floor where several more tombs had recently been found. The grand façade was hewn from the red, sandstone cliff, so it sat in a giant, rectangular hole in the surface of the rock. We walked up the wide stairs that led into the tomb and we paused just beyond the columns in the main entryway. The main room, the one Indy and his companions ran into in the movie, was blocked off by a rail to prevent people from entering. A Bedouin man stood just inside, to ensure we didn’t climb over it. The inside of the tomb looked nothing like its interior from the movie, but I hadn’t expected it to. Instead of the giant niches with crusader statues, there was a giant cube-like room
The Famous View
This was the view that introduced me to Petra so long ago. with a few intricately carved doorways in the walls. The natural coloration of the rock formed a stunning marble-like pattern of red, gray and yellow that ran in bands and waves across every surface and made for an amazing sight. On either side of the main tomb entrance, in the perpendicular walls of the entryway, were two more doorways, each with round skylights carved above them. These were similarly marbled, but empty.
The crowds were building at the treasury and we knew that before long the place would be a zoo. We decided to rush across the site to the remote ‘Monastery’ to try and beat the crowds. We set off down the canyon into the unknown. Our map showed us that there was a lot of stuff to see between the Treasury and the Monastery, but we had no idea what that stuff was – Had we known, we wouldn’t have even tried to hurry! At first we were walking quickly, but every nook and cranny of the canyon was filled with mysterious manmade caves and astounding architectural works of art that beckoned the explorer in us to slow down and take a look. We quickly
abandoned our plan, shed our tourist mindset and started exploring every tomb and façade we came to. Shortly after we left the Treasury, the canyon turned hard to the left and continued between two towering walls of sandstone. After a short section of natural rock, we came to the Street of Façades. Both sides of the canyon had been carved with tomb façades on every available surface. Some were badly worn by the elements, others looked as though they had been carved recently and all of them had the same rosy coloration as the Treasury – It was easy to see how Petra had become known as the rose-red city.
There wasn’t much to explore in the main section of the Street of Façades, since most of the doors were either still buried, or blocked off, so we took in the sights as we walked. A short while later we came to the giant 3,000-seat theater. The theater was amazing, because it was carved out of the mountainside in the same way as the tombs, only on a much more massive scale. It looked like the theater had been built after many of the tombs, because, in
some places the excavation dug into existing ones. It was situated so that people in the seats would be able to look out on the grand façades of the Royal Tombs, which must have been an amazing backdrop. The theater itself was fenced off, so we continued past it, pausing to take in the amazing sight of the Royal Tombs. Knowing the sun would be in a more favorable location later in the afternoon, we decided to skip the Royal Tombs and we continued on to the Colonnaded Street.
The Colonnaded Street was impressive for many reasons. It was paved with large, carefully fitted stones and had a row of columns on either side of the street. The street joined the impressive bluffs that held the famous rock-cut tombs and the Treasury with the far mountains, which contained more amazing rock-cut monuments. The flowing desert between the two, which the street ran through, contained the most shocking part of Petra for me. I had always assumed that the extent of the construction in Petra was the rock-cut façades, but the desert was filled with massive stone masonry buildings and temples in various states of preservation. I had
Inside the Treasury
Not as grand and mysterious as in the movie, but still amazing. no idea any of that stuff was there! We couldn’t resist the temptation, so we turned off of the main Colonnaded Street and climbed a huge set of steps to the ‘Great Temple’, which the sign said had only been discovered in 1992. The temple was nearly completely ruined, but its hexagonal floor tiles were still in good shape, as was the Odeon and a few massive walls. The proportions of the temple were staggering and it was clear that it was an impressive place before the giant earthquake reduced its grandeur to rubble. The highlight of the temple for me came unexpectedly when I looked up to the top of one of the few remaining columns. Its capital had beautifully carved elephant heads at each of its corners – They were by far the prettiest column capitals I had ever seen!
We continued walking along the Colonnaded Street. Towards its end we came to a monumental gate that used to have an ornate arch over it. Just beyond the gate rose the massive temple Qasr Al Bint. We quickly explored the parts of the temple that were open to the public. Its massive stone walls were
Monolithic Columns
The Treasury was caved from solid stone, which must have been difficult. well preserved and towered high over our heads. In the center of one of the temple’s internal walls a massive doorway rose up out of the rubble and came to a thin stone arch high above our heads. The arch was amazing, since it was only made up of a thin row of stones that bridged the gap, defiantly denying gravity the pleasure of destroying it. Active archaeological work and restoration was taking place at the temple, so most of it was fenced off, forcing us to admire its graceful proportions from a distance.
Beyond Qasr Al Bint there was a huge group of modern buildings and converted cave rooms that included the museum and a large restaurant. As would be expected, tourists were there in huge numbers and a large contingent of Bedouin men actively offered the services of their donkeys and camels to everyone that walked past. We politely turned down each of their pleas with a firm, “la shucran”, as we passed them and then we continued into the mountains on the other side. The donkeys and camels were there to provide transportation to Petra’s second most famous site, known as the Monastery, which
Exploring the Tombs
I toured the site with my friend Rebecca on the first day. would, otherwise, only be accessible to people in very good shape. To get to it required an exhausting climb to the top of the mountain via an ancient, but well maintained path. The route took us into a narrow ravine as it snaked its way up a series of stairs and switchbacks. The scenery was impressive every step of the way with lush green shrubs contrasting sharply with the deep red stone of the rugged ravine. The sky was blue and the temperature was pleasant – It was a wonderful place to be. We had been climbing for a long time when we came to the Lion Triclinium. The tomb was set back off of the path in a lush depression off of the main ravine. Its red façade dominated the view from the trail and beaconed us over to explore. A closer look revealed a badly worn, but majestic, pair of lions carved into the stone on either side of the huge door. We sat in the dark of the tomb for a few minutes while I adjusted my broken sandal in an attempt to make it flop a bit less - It had been a constant problem during
the climb, which slowed us both down a bit. We continued climbing for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually the path leveled off as it merged with the rim of a deep, narrow canyon. The bottom of the canyon was lost in shadow, but the parts of it that were visible looked to be cultivated. In the distance I saw a hidden row of façades that didn’t appear on my map – I vowed to find them before I left Petra. Across the canyon, rising up behind a small ridge, I could see the large urn-like carving that crowned the Monastery. It was still a long way off, but it was finally in our sights. We walked along the rim of the canyon for a while and then the trail started climbing again. A short while later the path leveled out again. We came around a corner into a large sandy opening between several large rock outcrops. The first thing I saw was a group of caves that a Bedouin family had set up a lovely teashop in. We walked a little further into the clearing and that is were we found the impressive façade of the Monastery rising up
out of the huge depression in the rock that it had been carved out of.
The monastery was built similarly to the Treasury, only on a larger scale. Its grand façade towered above us, seemingly rising up out of the mountain as a stand-alone structure. Its upper section still retained the original ornamentation and seemed as if it had recently been completed. In contrast to the crisp features on the second level, the Monastery’s lower level was partially eroded leaving its features slightly rounded and warped in places. Its eight ornamental columns on the first level contained a large, central doorway and two smaller, fake doors, all carved with ornate features. The second level was similar, only the center group of columns was supporting a circular pediment, similar to the Treasury. We took several photos as we explored the façade. I was setting up my tripod to get a ‘We were here!’ picture when a strong, prolonged gust of wind shot across the mountaintop, setting of a huge sandstorm. I shoved my camera under my shirt and we ran to the shelter of the Bedouin family’s cave shop. We brushed off the sand on our clothes and
then we took a seat on some floor cushions against the back wall. We purchased some tea and a few candy bars and then we sat and watched the short-lived sandstorm while we talked with the Bedouin man running the shop. The man and his family called the ancient, manmade cave home and ran the teashop from their living room. He told us stories about the grand sunsets and about how peaceful the mountaintop was at night when they had the Monastery all to themselves. A group of guys that were in town for some Olympic badminton qualifications joined the conversation and we all sat in the shade and enjoyed our tea while we talked. When we stepped out of the cave again the sand had calmed and we could see for miles.
We spent another half an hour exploring the mountaintop. There was a lovely elevated vantage point were I paused to take some photos of the Monastery and we found, with the help of a comically continuous row of signs, a lovely overlook. The mountains and canyons spread out below me for as far as I could see. A sign said that Little Petra was
An Unused Tower Tomb
That, or the door is buried. in view out there, but I wasn’t able to see it. Eventually the wind picked up again and the sun started its rapid descent toward the western horizon. We hurried back down the mountain and we followed the Colonnaded Street back to the Royal Tombs, which were bathed in an amazing evening light.
The Palace Tomb was the first one we visited. In its worn and ruined state it was lovely. There is no doubt that the Palace Tomb was the most impressive of the façades at Petra in ancient times, but the elements haven’t been as kind to it, due to its exposed nature, and its features are badly worn. We moved on to the Corinthian Tomb and the Silk Tomb, both of which were beautifully worn, and then we took shelter in one of the arched vaults beneath the stairs that led up to the urn tomb and finished the food we had brought with us. After a delicious orange and tomato, we climbed the stairs to visit the tomb. The stairs themselves, which were supported by several stone masonry arched vaults, were added in Byzantine times when the Urn Tomb was converted into a
large church. The façade was set more deeply into the rock wall than the Monastery and, while its façade was not as ornate and many of the others in the area, its cavernous interior was truly a sight to see! While I was inside taking pictures, a man walked in wearing an Indiana Jones fedora. Without meaning to he positioned himself perfectly for a silhouette against a sunlit, columned background – Indiana Jones had returned to Petra! We left the Urn Tomb and climbed up an old stairway that let to a small plank walkway that crossed over a narrow chasm. I labeled it the “Leap of Faith” and I crossed it like Indiana Jones did in the movie, with one foot extended straight out in front of me, and then, for accuracy, I threw a handful of sand across it to ‘make it visible’ – There is no doubt that I overdid the Indiana Jones references during the day (and in this blog), but, were it not for The Last Crusade, I may not have even known about Petra!
It was closing time for Petra, so we made our way back to the Treasury and then
The Giant Theater
It was carved out of the cliff, destroying several earlier tombs. we lost ourselves in the Siq again. Half an hour later we were seated in the Cave Bar, located just outside of the main gate in a beautiful, columned Nabatean tomb, enjoying a much needed ice cold drink – A Sprite for me! My first day in Petra was a truly eye opening experience. I was completely blown away, because I didn’t know how extensive and wonderful it actually was. We walked nearly twenty kilometers in our somewhat leisurely tour of Petra’s highlights and we were continuously amazed. I was glad that I had several more days to get better acquainted with Petra’s mysteries. We took a taxi back into town and ate a quick dinner in one of the many restaurants. Then we called it a night and headed back to our rooms. I spent the next few hours devising a repair plan for my broken sandal. By the time I went to sleep I had made a satisfactory repair using a section of strap from my backpack that I had never used, my little used sewing kit and a few strategically placed windows in the sole of the sandal – I would put it to the test the
The Colonnaded Street
The section between the cliffs that contained the Treasury and the Cliffs that hid the Monastery was filled with ancient structures. next day!
The next thing I knew I was sitting at a worn wooden table in a dimly lit bar in town. Harrison Ford was sitting across from me at the table. He was wearing a dark green jungle shirt and was excited to be back in Petra. We were deep in conversation, reminiscing about the first three Indi Films. He continually tried to steer our talk from the old films to the new one, but I wouldn’t let him – I didn’t want to know any of the details until I sat down in the theater the following year to watch it. The bar and our conversation got hazy and then disappeared and I found myself lying in bed with the first light of the coming day flowing through my window. It was the most lucid dream I had had since I left Antarctica and it left me wondering if it had actually happened. I was eager to start my second day of exploring in Petra, so I got up and got ready and then I went to the breakfast room with my map to plan my day’s route.
After breakfast I went
Hidden Temples
This temple was unknown until the '90s. I wonder what else is buried in the desert? and found my friend Rebecca and said farewell – she was moving on to Amman – and then I set off on foot toward Petra. Along the way I bought some baklava and some food for lunch. I was traveling light. I had made the difficult decision to leave my camera in the room, knowing that I would regret it a few times during the day, but I was planning on getting off the beaten path a bit and I didn’t want to be weighed down. I stopped at the gate and talked to the guards a bit and then I retraced my steps toward the Siq. Before I got there, I turned and walked off to the right toward the giant Nabatean tunnel. I passed through the massive tunnel, which had been carved by hand to divert water from the Siq, and entered the beautiful canyon system, Wadi Al-Mudhlim, on the other side. There was a well-trodden path through the canyon, but nobody was in sight. The canyon started wide, but the shear walls gradually narrowed as I walked. I came to a place that had an ancient dam or weir that was built out of precisely cut blocks
of stone and was still standing. The cliffs in the area were rugged and craggy. Everywhere I looked I found miniature façades carved into the rock, each with small niches that may have contained some sort of offering or shrine in ancient times. I couldn’t resist the temptation to explore the cliffs and I spent a long time climbing up and exploring each crag I came to. The canyon narrowed and turned into a delightful slot canyon that was streaked in a beautiful array of reds, oranges and grays. Eventually I came to a T-junction. One direction would have required some dangerous climbing to continue, so I followed the other path, which led back toward Petra. In places the canyon was so narrow that I had to turn sideways to squeeze past. Several times I had to down climb over, and occasionally under, large boulders that blocked the path. After a while I came to a beautifully sculpted section of the canyon where the elements had carved a sort of bowl or hall out of the rock. The Nabateans had carved several miniature façades in the walls surrounding the bowl, forming a very cozy shrine-like space that was completely unexpected.
The Elephant Capitol
The capitols in the great temple were amazing! A short while later I emerged from the narrow canyon, which the map called Sadd Al-Ma’jan, and entered the huge Wadi Al-Mataha, a wide, sandy canyon surrounded by worn rock-cut tombs and huge, craggy outcrops.
The scenery was beautiful, and, with the exception of the lonely Bedouin man at the mouth of the slot canyon that was trying to sell me recently looted artifacts, there was not a soul in sight. I spent the next few hours exploring all of the tombs and façades in the area. Most of the larger spaces had been converted into pens for animals, or temporary homes for the Bedouin families that still call Petra home. The smaller, or more remote tombs stood in various levels of disarray. Most had been badly looted and pottery shards littered the ground so thickly that I had to shuffle my feet not to further break the delicate pieces. Some of the spaces seemed to be pit tombs, or the openings I found were just skylights. Those spaces were filled with deep sand and looked as if the looters hadn’t disturbed them, leaving me with a sense of hope that there may still be some archaeological
knowledge to be gained there. I climbed up one remote crag where I found a lovely rock cut room that was very difficult to reach. I carefully climbed over to it and looked inside where I found several larger pottery shards, including one delicate bowl that was only missing a small piece. I knew that I would regret leaving my camera at some point in the day, but it was also nice to see the amazing things I was finding with my own eyes, too, instead of through the lens. I took a mental photograph of my find and left it for the next person to see, hoping that they would do the same.
I slowly worked my way back towards the main part of Petra. For more than an hour I only met a few other people and all of them were Bedouin herders that were tending to their animals. As I walked I explored several more wonderful tombs along the way, including the tomb of Sextius Florentinus, which had a giant underground cistern nearby, and Dorothia’s House with its rock-cut benches inside. I also spent a lot of time following ancient rock-cut stairs that were
The Monumental Gate
This was at the end of the Colonnaded Street, near Qasr Al Bint. not on my maps. Some of the stairs led to hidden tombs or rooms, others to the extensive water channels above the tombs. A few of them became too steep, or worn to follow, leaving their destination shrouded in mystery. It ended up being the mysterious stairs, which seemed to crisscross every cliff face and every ravine, that intrigued me the most about Petra. I suppose they allowed my imagination to go wild building unknown worlds just out of sight around the next bend. After I passed Sextius Florentinus’s tomb I came to the portion of the Royal tombs that I had explored the day before, so I backtracked to a wide, well-restored staircase that led up into the mountains. In contrast to all of the mystery stairs I had been following, that stairway was on my map. I knew it would take me to the top of the mountain and an exciting view I was hoping to find.
By the time I reached the top my legs were protesting, but the view across the desert was invigorating. I found one lovely overlook that had several cut blocks of stone strewn about along with a beautiful piece
Qasr Al Bint
The huge Masonry structure was beautiful. I especially liked the arch. of a white marble statue, which seemed out of place in the red landscape. As wonderful as the view was, it wasn’t the one I had climbed up there for, so I set off in the direction I thought I would find it in. The mountaintop was flat, but craggy, with several wide sandy patches interspersed with green vegetation. I followed a well-trodden path to the small overlook that I was searching for. Below me the mouth of the Siq opened up on the clearing in front of the Treasury and I had a flawless view of Petra’s most famous site. I sat for a while and ate a late lunch while I took in the timeless view – It was from that same ledge that the cameras recorded Indiana Jones and his companions running from the collapsing temple at the successful completion of their grail quest!
I sat on that ledge for nearly an hour before the arrival of a large group broke my solitude. I decided to continue my exploration of the area. On my first day at Petra I had noticed several of the mysterious staircases climbing into the unknown around the Royal Tombs
The Lion Triclinium
This was on the climb up to the Monastery. and the Street of Façades. I had no idea were they led, but I knew that some of them must have reached the top of the mountain between where I was at the overlook and the wide stairs by which I ascended the mountain. I decided I would get further off of the beaten path and search out one of those mysterious staircases. I explored the whole cliff face and I climbed every knob of rock until I came to a narrow rift in one of the slopes. The gap was hidden behind a large green bush and there were no footprints in the sand, which told me that not many people went that way. Beyond the bush a narrow canyon led gently down the mountain via a pile of rocks that roughly resembled a staircase – I decided that it was a good lead, so I pushed past the bush and started off into the unknown. After a short descent the canyon narrowed and the path became very smooth and slippery. I though my descent was over, but a badly worn pattern in the rock revealed my path down. I had found my mysterious rock-cut stairway! Down I went.
The Stately Lion
These guarded the door of the Lion Triclinium. At times the stairway was well defined and easy to follow and at others it was completely gone. In one of the places the stairs disappeared I emerged into a completely unexpected oasis of green on a small flat terrace surrounded by red stone walls and deep blue sky. I walked over to the edge of the terrace and looked over. Far below me I could see the tourists milling about on the plaza in front of the Urn Tomb – The day before I had wondered if there was any way up there and I had found it! I went through a narrow gap in one of the red walls and found the stairs again on the other side. They ascended for a little while and then turned down the cliff face again, at times on very exposed, narrow steps! After nearly half an hour more my mystery had been solved and that particular stairway into the unknown was gone forever. I explored several more rock-cut tombs on my way down the slope toward the Street of Façades and then I made my way back to the Treasury and the Siq, completing my big loop for the day. At
The Monastery
This was an amazing facade, built on a large scale. the ticket gate the guards asked me if I would be coming back again the next day. I smiled and said, “Of course”, which made them smile.
That night back in Wadi Musa I ran in to a couple of travelers that I had met in Kas, Turkey several months before. We ate dinner together and talked about how they had scrapped their plans to see Europe and, instead, headed down into Syria and onward to Jordan – The exotic ambiance of the Middle East is definitely addictive! We marveled about how small the world was and then, after dinner, we said farewell again. Keeping with my vividly lucid dreams of my heroes, that night I was at the bar with Jimmy Buffett! By the time I woke up he had invited me to go flying in the Hemisphere Dancer, his Albatross flying boat, and sailing – It was another fun dream!
I decided to take it easy on my third day in Petra. I slowly explored more of the tombs along the path before the Siq. One of them, the Snake Tomb, was fairly ordinary on the outside, but had a snake and
A Towering Sculpture
This facade, like most at Petra, was carved from a solid piece of sandstone. a donkey carved on the interior walls. When I got to the Treasury I turned to the left and walked to a restored stairway that led up the steep canyon wall to the top of the mountain that the Treasury was carved into. The area at the top was known as the High Place of Sacrifice and the small outcrop of rock it was built on commanded expansive views of the surrounding valley. The mountaintop had several ancient monuments including a few obelisks, which represented the Nabateans’ main god, a few stone masonry buildings in various states of ruin and the sacrificial altars themselves. I sat on top for a while and took in the view and then I headed down the other side. That path led me past the impressive Lion Monument, which was a giant lion carved into the cliff face that, in antiquity, spouted water out of its mouth. Its head disappeared long ago, but the monument’s beauty was still apparent. Further down the trail, which was following a wide ravine, I found the lovely Garden Temple, with its grand columns, and several magnificent tombs, one of which had a magnificent interior carved with false columns in
The Sandstorm
This is the camera-killing sandstorm that sent us running to the teahouse. the walls.
I was hungry and tired, but Petra revealed more mysteries around every corner fueling my insatiable desire to continue exploring. I pushed on into the cliffs. I found and explored several more beautiful façades, some of which were being lived in, and I found several more nearly intact pottery shards. Eventually I reached a sheer drop at the upper edge of the theater. I took in the view from the rocks above it, clearly seeing how the builders of the theater had scooped it out of a cliff containing a large group of impressive tombs, destroying most of them in the process. I could also see remnants of statues that had adorned the theater’s walls. I retraced my steps back down into the desert where I found several of the freestanding buildings in various states of excavation. Eventually I found a tall standing column that had served as a marker on the Damascus to Egypt caravan route – It was a very simple column, but it filled my mind with exotic images of the ancient caravans!
I had devoured my food early in the day and my hunger persisted. I decided to
A View From the Teahouse
The view from where we were sitting in the Bedouin teahouse. pay a visit to the big restaurant at the beginning of the trail up to the Monastery. I was expecting to pay a lot for fairly plain food, as often happens in touristy restaurants, but my meal was delicious and filling and it cost less than the food in town – I was pleasantly surprised. I left my late lunch with renewed energy. I quickly climbed up to see the small site museum and then I walked around the small mountain that it was located in. There I found the small row of rock-cut façades I had seen from the path up to the monastery. I followed the cliffs around to a stone masonry staircase that led up to the top of the small mountain the museum was in. At the top I found the badly ruined remains of an old crusader castle that had been built there so long ago. The view from the top was impressive and the place was powerful, so I found a place to sit and I watched the late afternoon sunlight turn the Royal Tombs orange across the valley. By the time I made it back to the Siq most of the tourists had
disappeared and silence filled the air. I walked slowly back through the canyon, listening to each footstep echo off of the walls. When I made it back to the guard post I was the only tourist in sight. The guards smiled and asked me if I would be coming back again the next day. I had heard that the ‘three day pass’ was actually an ‘as many consecutive days as you want pass’, so I wasn’t too surprised when the guard smiled at my enthusiastic ‘yes’ and handed my pass back to me. My walk back to town was slow and painful and it was dark by the time I got to my favorite dinner place for my evening meal. I was exhausted by the time I got back to my room and I was questioning whether or not I would actually be visiting Petra again, but a quick shower restored my spirits. There was one place I still needed to see there, so I made up my mind to return one last time and then I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
I woke up the next morning sore, but ready for the day’s long
A View
The signs were very persistent, so we decided to take in the view. walk. I lingered at breakfast, eating more than I normally did, and then I purchased some snacks for the walk. I started my day in the rose-red city by hiking up to the top of the mountain beside the Siq to a rarely visited place called the Eagle Niche. It was difficult to find, but I eventually found it, along with several amazing rooms and several grand vistas. I spent a while up there playing around in the crags and marveling at all of the pottery shards that were scattered about – I even found some bright yellow flowers growing up out of the sand. I climbed back down to the Siq and made my way back into the heart of Petra. I walked out to the Colonnaded Street and then headed southwest into the desert along the ancient caravan route to Egypt.
I walked slowing taking in the grand desert scenery. All around me hills of rocky sand rose up out of the bedrock and stretched off toward the distant, craggy cliffs that bound the wadi on two sides. At first the sea of sand was wide and the dirt road followed a circuitous path through
The Advertised View
It was an impressive vista from the ledge. Somewhere out there was Little Petra. its rolling hills. As I walked I couldn’t help but wonder if any of the mounds concealed ancient structures, or other lost treasures beneath their timeless sands. I felt certain that the answer was yes, but only time will tell. The craggy cliffs started closing in on me and the path started weaving its way around large rocky outcrops. One of those outcrops had a large, badly worn façade carved into it that had been repaired with mud bricks and was being used as a home. There was a corral surrounding it that contained several goats that were being tended to by a little boy. When I walked past he shouted an excited, “Hello” and waved at me as I did the same. I passed several more rock cut tombs and other mysterious, sand-filled rooms, some with remnants of grand facades and others just openings in the rock. Eventually I came to a remote cliff face near another home. At the foot of the cliff a square tower tomb rose up out of the bedrock. I quickly walked over to it and looked all around it, looking for a particular feature that told me I had come to the right
place. It didn’t help that I had no idea what I was looking for, but I did know that I hadn’t found it. I returned to the trail and then turned to scan the cliffs one more time – According to my map I was where I needed to be. High above the tower tomb, on the top of the cliff, I found what I was looking for and it was more beautiful than I had imagined. Sitting on a square base were the concentric coils and raised head of a giant snake – I had found the Snake Monument!
I scrambled to the top of the cliff following a series of sloping ridges and ancient water channels. When I finally stood in front of the monument my imagination ran wild as I reconstructed what the monument would have looked like in ancient times, before the wind and the rain carted off its finer details. I tried to put myself in the sandals of an ancient traveler approaching the fabled city of Petra in a caravan out of Egypt. After weeks of dangerous desert scenery the craggy fortress that surrounded the city came into view. Lush greenery
clashed with the reds and browns of the desert and spoke of a vast oasis where water flowed freely in fountains and water conduits. The anticipation and excitement would have been growing unbearable and then, on the isolated bluff above the route the giant, coiled serpent that the seasoned traders had talked about around the campfire sat, ready to strike. It must have been an imposing sight, being that even in its badly worn, headless state it sent shivers down my spine!
I sat down in a shady spot on the cliff beside the monument and ate my lunch and played around with the small rocks I found strewn about. About two hours later, I stood up to head back to the main part of Petra. I paused to take one last look at the grand Snake Monument and then I turned to go, but I paused again, remembering what one of the other two tourists I had passed on the road told me to look for. I walked out to the furthest edge of the adjacent cliff and I looked across the narrow chasm to the monument. Sure enough, the man had been right, the outcrop
that the Snake Monument was built on was contoured to resemble a giant skull! It is likely that the giant eye sockets and skull-like shape were the work of Mother Nature’s sculptors, but it was an amazing, somewhat spooky sight to see!
I scrambled back down the cliff to the path. I looked longingly to the south. I knew that the white, domed tomb of Moses’ brother sat atop Jabal Harun in that direction, but I also knew that my aching legs were not up to the task. I decided to come back to Petra and the domed tomb someday and then I turned northeast and retraced my footsteps back through the timeless desert. Before I got back to the main part of Petra I followed a side path toward the cliffs on the western side of the valley to a spot where my map showed a mysterious staircase climbing to the mountaintop. I found it in a remote cleft in the rock face. I followed the stairs up to the top of the mountain, which was called Umm Al-Biyara, and I took in one last look across the ancient desert. I knew I would miss exploring
the grand mysteries of Petra, but I also knew it was time to move on. I had a week before my flight was leaving Amman and there was still a lot I wanted to see. I retraced my steps all the way back to the Colonnaded Street and then I quickly walked through a few of the sites in the desert on the other side, such as the Temple of the Winged Lions and the Basilica, with its amazing mosaics. I walked back past the Royal Tombs and the Street of Façades to the Treasury and then entered the Siq for the last time. I paused to look back down the Sig and I took in the famous view of the Treasury one last time before I turned and slowly walked back through the Siq, under the fallen arch and back to the guard post. When the guards asked me if I would be coming back again the next day I smiled and said, “No, but I will be back again someday!” They took my last ticket and then they smiled, handed me my ticket stub and said, “Until next time!”
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Your Mother
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Petra looks wonderful
I have waited a long time for this blog. I hope you do get to go back someday. The pictures are great as usual.