Home

10%

Petra - The Rose City

The lost ruins of the Nabateans

By Trotternama

May 19^th, 2020

Petra, in Greek, means rock.

And you will definitely see a ton of rock if you perchance get the opportunity to make your way within its byzantine alleyways as an awe enthused tourist. A Unesco World Heritage Site and Jordan’s top tourist attraction, "Petra- The Rose City" has been charming explorers of the modern age for over 200 years now, after Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, a Swiss explorer, disguised as an Arab Bedouin stumbled upon its long-forgotten ruins in 1812. A 1000 years after it had disappeared from existence in the sands of Wadi Musa (The Valley of Moses).

For me, my first consciousness of Petra came from the biblical story where Moses passed through the valley (Wadi Musa) and struck water from the rock for his followers at the site of Ain Musa.

The second more popular reference was Harrison Ford and Sean Connery’s escapades in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where the duo charged inside Al Siq and Al Khazneh in their search for the Holy Grail in the final sequence of the film.

That movie was shot in Petra.

But while Indiana Jones and in more later years The Transformers, might have catapulted Petra’s tourism quotient to a more frenzied generic tourist demographic (like me), there is much more to Petra that has been beckoning explorers, historians, nomads and kings from as early as first century BC.

How did the Nabateans, an Arabic Bedouin tribe, used to travelling in caravans, end up creating a lifestyle city of unparalleled riches and incredible hydraulic engineering, in the middle of a desert, 3000 years ago?

How did they gather the idea of carving the city inside mountains of stone and where did they get the architectural references of design, that was as diverse as Hellenic, Roman, Arabic, Egyptian and Indian as early as First Century BC?

How did they safeguard their citadel from invaders?

Questions that have baffled scholars, archaeologists and tourists for thousands of years and one's that you will attempt to answer as you set forward towards Petra from Jordan's Queen Alia Airport.

GETTING TO PETRA

The recommended time would be between September to November or between February to April, given that in the heights of summer and depths of winter, the desert can be pretty unbearable. But if you are up for braving the elements, you will be greeted by much lesser crowds. From the Amman airport, it’s a straight 3-hour drive to Wadi Musa (if you get a rental or a cab). You can also decide to gun for public transport and take a JETT Bus, at the 7th Circle JETT Bus Station.

A more economic and equally viable option along the beautifully constructed Desert Highway.

THE JORDAN TRAIL - DANA TO PETRA (9 DAYS)

This is a once-in-a-lifetime epic hike on the Jordan Trail, considered by National Geographic as among the best treks in the world covering all of Jordan’s famous archaeological and biblical sites over 9 days of travelling in the desert-like Bedouins.

Amman airport – Karak – Dana
Dana - Wadi Feynan
Wadi Feynan - Ras Al Feid
Ras Al Feid – Ghbour Whedat
Ghbour Whedat – Little Petra
Little Petra – Petra
Petra – Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum – Amman Airport

THE PETRA TRAIL - 2 DAYS

According to me, one day is too short, to do justice to Petra given that it has four defined trails and some difficult climbing if you want to see everything. The recommended option would be two days, but if you are strapped for time, it can be done in one day with a little bit of adjustment.

Amman Airport – Wadi Musa (Petra)

Petra Visitor Centre to Al- Khazneh (The Treasury)

Djinn Blocks
Obelisk Tomb
Al Siq
Al Khazneh

AL Khazneh to the Kings Tombs (Al-Khubtah trail)

Street of Facades (Outer Siq)
Tomb of Unayshu
Nabatean Theatre
Royal Tombs (take right from the shop “ Married to a Bedouin” on the Street of Facades after crossing the Nabatean Theatre
Urn Tomb
Corinthian tomb
Palace tomb

Nabatean Theatre to Altar of Sacrifices

From the Nabatean Theatre take left on a steep climb of 45 minutes
Altar of Sacrifice viewpoint
Lion Fountain
Garden Triclinium
Roman Soldier Tomb
Renaissance tomb
Come down and turn left to hit the Street of Facades again

Nabatean Theatre to Qasr al-Bint (Temple of Dushares)

Follow Street of Facades
Nymphaeum
Collonaded Street
Great Temple
Qasr al-Bint (Temple of Dushares)

Qasr al-Bint to Byzantine Church

Winged Lion Temple
Byzantine Church
Blue Chapel

Qasr al-Bint to Monastery of Petra (Ad Dier)

Follow the Monastery Road
Lion Triclinium
Ad Dier

Little Petra

Siq al-Barid

PETRA VISITOR CENTRE TO AL KHAZNEH

Use the interactive map below to virtually travel the entire trail from the Visitor Centre to Al Khazneh through the majestic Siq. Just click on the arrow to navigate

The park opens at 6 am.

From the visitor centre, it’s an hour-long walk to reach The Treasury or Al Khazneh and it all starts at the Bab As-Siq, the trail that runs from the visitor centre to the Siq. This trail has a couple of interesting attractions which start with the Djinn Blocks (stone tower tombs). There are about 26 such djinn blocks which were excavated along the trail. Experts today suggest that these were symbols of the god Dushara whom the Nabateans worshipped.

Once you cross the Djinn Blocks, you come across the first of the many tombs that you are invariably going to see during your tour of Petra. It is called the Obelisk tomb, a multi-storeyed structure with a Doric columned façade and four pyramidal obelisks. This building was basically used as a triclinium (or dining room) where the dead were commemorated through social gatherings and feasts by the Nabateans. Standing in those empty ruins, I found it hard to visualise the imagery of solemn banquets to remember the departed, but none-the-less it was a moving experience.

The thing is, most people miss the Obelisk tomb in their blinding hurry to reach the Siq. If you have time, give it a look, because it’s a bit different from the other tombs of Petra.

Once you are past the Obelisk Tomb you are on the approach way to Al Siq.

This is the famous pathway to Al Khazneh, pictures of which scream from every article about Petra. An incredibly narrow and winding half-mile-long canyon from the entrance of Petra to the large open plaza at the foot of the Khazneh. The Siq was formed from millions of years of geo-tectonic activity and erosion led by water. Dim and narrow, it is no wider than three meters and is bracketed by tall cliffs about 70 metres high.

The Siq highlights the intelligence of the Nabateans. 3000 years ago as they capitalised on the lucrative spice trades from India and the Orient, the Nabateans realised that their city needed fortifications to deter attacks. Al Siq was the perfect solution towards creating a gateway to the city since no attack would be possible through the narrow canyon pathway. The Nabateans also harvested water from Wadi Musa and then outfitted the walls of the Siq with pipes, dams and cut channels, which would then carry freshwater into the city.

Smart bit of city planning and architecture.

As you marvel at the natural pink stone formations and architectural wizardry, you slowly see the path widening into an open plaza and then just like that you are in front of Al Khazneh. Or The Treasury. Massive, tall and imposing it was originally believed to be a mausoleum for the Nabatean King Aretas IV. However, Bedouins renamed it to Al Khazneh because legend has it that the temple contained a hidden trove of treasures. Till date, no treasure has been found to give credence to this urban legend, but the name stuck on for perpetuity. Many of the building's architectural details, designed after mythological creatures of the afterlife, have eroded during the two thousand years since it was sculpted from the cliff.

The plaza in front of Al Khazneh is also the community gathering space for “Petra by Night” – an interesting experience where the entire canyon, all the way from the Siq to Al Khazneh is lit up by 1800 candles on the ground. As darkness falls, the amber light from the candles and its shadows flicker off the pink sandstone cliffs, creating a magical ambience and making for a great photo-op.

You should try it, provided you can plan your trip between Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

AL KHAZNEH TO THE KINGS TOMBS - AL KHUBTAH TRAIL

Use the interactive map above to virtually traverse the Al Khubtah trail from the Nabatean Theatre to the Palace tombs. Use the arrow to navigate.

Once you are past The Treasury, you are on the Outer Siq which broadens into the Street of Facades. A long straight road which has about 40 tombs clustered on both sides like medieval mansions lining a boulevard. (The Nabateans surely took death and afterlife seriously given the amount of focus you can see on the different kinds of tombs). This gives way to the Nabatean theatre, a 7000 capacity semi-circular amphitheatre designed in the classical Roman style. Crumbling to its bones over time and erosion, it serves as a stark reminder of the various cultures that have influenced Petra in the course of its 3000-year-old history.

If Al Khazneh was all about Greek design, the Nabatean Theatre is like the Roman Palatine in front of your eyes. Incredibly diverse, and yet surviving harmoniously within a city lost in time

As you cross the Nabatean Theatre, you immediately notice a flight of steps to the right which ultimately lead to a set of tomb facades cut into the rocky cliff interface. These are the Royal Tombs and are worth a visit for two reasons. These tombs represent some of the best stone carvings you will get to see in Petra and they also lead to a plateau above the Royal Tombs from where you get some spectacular views of the entire city and the desert beyond. It takes about half-an-hour to climb to the plateau of the Royal Tombs which makes its way past the Urn Tomb and then leads to a set of stairs after the Palace Tomb. This plateau is also the vantage point for all the aerial views of Al Khazneh. Another firm favourite with photographers all over the world.

NABATEAN THEATRE TO ALTAR OF SACRIFICES

Use the interactive map below to make the trip from the Nabatean Theatre to the Altar of Sacrifice and then make your way past the Lion Fountain, Garden Temple, Triclinium and the Renaissance Tomb

Retracing your steps back to the Nabatean Theatre, it is a now time to take a detour to the left. Just before the Street of Facades meets the Nabatean Theatre you can see another series of steps to the left which ascend to the High Place of Sacrifice, a hilltop altar where the Nabateans practised worship and holy sacrifice. This is a steep climb and takes about an hour to complete, so rest up before you set forward.

The altar itself is an open flat platform cut high on the cliff surface by the ancient Nabateans, about 170 meters above Wadi Musa. Roughly 15m long and 6m wide, it is among many of such High Places perched on ridges and mountain-tops around Petra.

Am not sure is human sacrifice was ever done in Petra, but the Nabateans are known to have done human sacrifices in other parts of the world.

The descent from the High Place of Sacrifice is through Wadi Farasa, where the first monument you come across is the Lion Monument which in all probability was a water fountain. It is carved in the wall of the cliff – another small example of the Nabateans engineering chops.

Just past the Lion Monument are a set of steps descending below which lead you to the Garden Triclinium, a cave-like formation hidden by a tree and bordered by a neat portico. Two column like pillars envelope a square like shrine above which lies a huge cistern (probably used to harvest water) and below which lies the Roman Soldier Tomb.

The curious thing about the Roman Soldier Tomb is that it does not deify a Roman soldier. It’s fundamentally Nabatean with three framed niches covering a set of recesses where the dead were buried. However, it also has this elaborate colonnaded courtyard - a curious mix of Roman design aesthetics combining with Nabatean cultural oeuvre.

From here you come across the last set of stairs which lead you down to the Wadi floor where you come across a lot of tombs crowding the lower reaches. The most famous of these is the Renaissance Tomb topped by an urn and with an unusual arch above its doorway also carrying three urns.

This brings the trail to an end and from here it is about thirty minutes of walking past the left flank of the Zantur hill and the Pharaoh’s Phallus (Zibb Faraoun) which brings you back to the Nabatean Theatre on the Street of Facades.

NABATEAN THEATRE TO QASR AL-BINT (TEMPLE OF DUSHARES)

Use the interactive map below to start from the Nabatean Theatre, pass the Nymphaeum, on your way to the Great Temple through the Colonnaded Street, ultimately making your way to Qasr-al Bint

This is a fairly easy walk of about one kilometre. Instead of taking the steps to the Al Khubtah trail (on the right), you keep going straight on the Street of Facades which lead you past the main city square, and into the Colonnaded Street with its distinctly Romanesque feel. On the right, you cross the ruins of what must have been the largest public fountain of Petra – the Nymphaeum. How exactly the Nabateans built a public fountain in the middle of the desert is astonishing, but then this is what makes Petra so interesting. It’s architecture, city planning and hydraulic engineering.

Past the Nymphaeum, you are now a few minutes away from the Qasr al-Bint, probably the most defined structure of the ruins of Petra. The full modern Arabic name of the ruin is Qasr al-Bint Fir’aun, or “the palace of Pharaoh’s daughter.” This name derives from a local folklore according to which the Pharaoh’s daughter determined to decide between her suitors by setting them the task of providing water supply for her palace. (even their folklore has hydraulic challenges!!)

There is immense debate on the deity for whom this temple was built. The temple faces northwards towards a sacrificial altar dedicated to Dushara which has made many scholars proclaim that this was the Temple of Dushara. However, many others claim that it was Al Uzza (who is shown on the walls of Al Khazneh) equivalent to the Greek goddess of Aphrodite who was worshipped here. Another interesting factoid about Qasr al-Bint is that while the rest of Petra crumbled and disintegrated through earthquakes and tectonic plate shifts, this temple remained without being affected. Even the triple arched gates that lead to the steps of the temple have somehow survived better than the rest of Petra.

Whatever the truth may be, Qasr al-Bint was undoubtedly the most important temple of Petra in its heyday. It’s location, approach, design and build gives credence to the fact that this was the primary space of worship for the city and its nobility.

QASR AL-BINT TO TEMPLE OF WINGED LION AND BYZANTINE CHURCH

Use the interactive map below to trace the route from Qasr al-Bint to the Temple of Winged Lions, the Byzantine Church and the Blue Chapel

At the end of the Colonnaded Street and north of the Monumental Gate, you come across the Temple of the Winged Lions. Originally believed to have been built for Al Uzza (Goddess of Aphrodite), this temple has an ascending staircase flanked by majestic columns which were once adorned by Winged Lions carved out of stone. Today most of it cannot be seen, except the base structure of the columns amidst all the rubble, so a lot will be left to your imagination. Nonetheless, it’s history is what gives it prominence, even though it might not be the most photogenic of ruins to capture.

From here it is a climb to reach the Byzantine Church, a triple Basilica situated on top of the hills above the Colonnaded Street. Led through a stone-paved atrium, the Church has mosaic flooring on the aisles which depict everyday objects, mythological symbols as well as personifications of the seasons, the Ocean, the Earth and Wisdom. The church came into prominence and mainstream media more so in 1993, when in one of the storerooms a set of 152 papyrus scrolls belonging to one family were discovered. These scrolls gave researchers an intimate view of life in Petra around 528 AD – which shows that people were still living here after the earthquake which destroyed most of the city in AD 326.

QASR AL-BINT TO AD-DIER (THE MONASTERY ROUTE)

Use the interactive map below to take a virtual walkabout ( without the climbing) along the historic Monastery Route from Qasr al-Bint to the monastery of Ad Dier.

This is amongst the most arduous trails in Petra, and even though well-trodden, is worth an hour’s climb over 800 steps and hilly terrain with no clear tracks at places. Worth the effort though, since the Monastery of Ad Dier is one of the most imposing architectural achievements of the Nabateans.

The trail starts from the Basin restaurant, right after Qasr al-Bint from the Wadi ad-Dayr. On route, you cross the Lion Triclinium, the Wadi Kharrubeh, and the grotto of Qattar ad-Dayr, the one place in Petra where you have water all the year-round. Another ingenious example of how the Nabateans harvested water from different natural sources to keep their city hydrated.

The architecture of the Monastery is a blend of the Hellenic and the Mesopotamian styles, much less ornate than Al Khazneh but with an outer facade which is much wider. The Hellenistic influences can be seen in the columns designed in the Corinthian style, while the entrance and square-topped tower structures breathe of early Mesopotamia. Remnants of a colonnade can be found in the ground in front of the Monastery, suggesting that this was an important place for social gatherings and scholarly records document that it was built in honour of the Nabatean King Obodas I. Inside is a single chamber, with the same configuration of double staircases leading up to a cultic niche as in the Qasr al-Bint and the Temple of the Winged Lions.

The views from the monastery are breathtaking. The sweeping vistas of Wadi Araba, the golden sun reflecting off the front facade, the pink rocks changing hues in the afternoon sun and an almost surreal experience of standing in the midst of ruins that stand as a testament to what the Nabateans must have lived like almost 3000 years ago.

Made me wonder what our world would be like 3000 years from now. They say only 15% of Petra has been excavated with over 800 tombs found till date. With 85% of the city still under rubble, one can only imagine the actual number of tombs the Nabateans must have built.

The return back from the Monastery is back through the same trail. The only recommendation is - not to attempt this trek after evening on your own. It can get isolated pretty fast and people have been known to get lost in the trail which is honestly quite non-defined in many places.

LITTLE PETRA - SIQ AL-BARID

Use the interactive map below to travel inside Little Petra, or Siq al-Barid as they call it. Less crowded, less complex but equally interesting

Situated about 8 kilometres from Petra's main archaeological site, is Siq al-Barid (the cold canyon), or Little Petra as its called. Built probably as a suburb of the main city by the Nabateans, it also consists of rock cut houses inside mountains with a 350 metre long canyon defining the entranceway to the city. The notable difference is that inside the Siq al-Barid you can barely see direct sunlight due to the heights of the canyon walls. That's why its called the cold canyon.

While Petra has been over popularised and suffers from overtourism, Little Petra I found was a bit better restored due to lesser commercialisation and lesser number of tourists. Sure it is much smaller compared to the main archaeological dig, yet it's got a sort of tranquility to it that the main tourist attraction does not.

The one attraction inside Little Petra that is recommended is the Painted House. One of the few Nabatean homes with internal frescos that survived the earthquake. The whole ambience feels far cosier with tighter knit communal spaces, main roads and thoroughfares.

In its prime this would have been a bustling little village, teeming with activity. If you have half a day , I would strongly recommend to go and see Little Petra.

In conclusion

There is a beauty in any breakdown. Petra symbolises that. It needs better restoration and while tourism is a required evil, it probably needs better regulation given the fragility of the ruins. What the Nabateans achieved is nothing short of remarkable. The architectural grandeur and engineering wizardry is astonishing.The melange of Hellenic, Arabic, Egyptian and Indian design ethics gives clear proof points on how the Nabateans understood the concept of soft power and built a city to compete in perception with the likes of Rome to safeguard their economic wealth and prosperity.

As you drive across the sands of Wadi Rum on your way back from Petra, the hardest thing for you would be to contextualise the experience of your time spent in a 3000 year old time warp with your everyday lives amidst downtown traffic, snapchat disappearing messages and Instagram stories.