Day 11: Mike & Bone Petra-fied?!
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This morning Mike and Bone rose early and excited to check out Indiana Jones cool hangout! After breakfast the Road Scholars gathered with Kamal just outside the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kamal started the visit with an overview of what was Petra. Petra was the principle city of ancient Nabetaea, though subsequently ruled by several other empires including Roman, Byzantine, and Persian. It gained its name from the Latin word, Petrae, meaning rock, Mike and Bone were certainly about to be rocked with its awesomeness!
Petra is adjacent to the mountain of Jabal Al-Madbah, in a basin surrounded by mountains forming the eastern flank of the Arabah valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.
It has been around for a while, the area around Petra has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans might have settled in what would become the capital city of their kingdom as early as the 4th century BC. Archaeological work has only discovered evidence of Nabataean presence dating back to the second century BC, by which time Petra had become their capital. The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who invested in Petra's proximity to the incense trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub. Interestingly the Nabateans did not disappear. That tribe still lives in the area!
The Petra Plan
The trading business gained the Nabataeans considerable revenue and Petra became the focus of their wealth. Unlike their enemies, the Nabataeans were accustomed to living in the barren deserts and were able to repel attacks by taking advantage of the area's mountainous terrain. They were particularly skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving. As the Boys walked into the park the path was traditional sand with Jordanian rubble rock everywhere, but in only a few hundred yards the sandstone hills emerged and in those sandstone hills they started to pass structures carved right into the sandstone!
The First Set of Buildings on the Path: The Djinn Blocks!
Djinn Blocks are amongst the first things the modern world "discovered" in Petra by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 . While there have been numerous archaeological excavations have taken place since its “discovery” in 1812, the Nabatean Arabs, never "lost" it !
Next the Boys came upon the first big tomb on the site, the Obelisk Tomb!
The Obelisk Tomb!
First cool site that Mike and Bone checked out was the Obelisk Tomb! Built in the 1st century AD, it combines traditional Nabaean architecture with Hellenistic, Egyptian, and even Indian elements. It used to have five obelisks, representing the five Nabatean noblemen buried in its halls, but the western obelisk, the tallest of the bunch was destroyed under unknown circumstances. Next the Road Scholars entered the awesome realm of Al-Siq!
The Start of Al-Siq!
What is Al-Siq? Well, it is mile long and its deepest, darkest part, it looks absolutely otherworldly.
Al-Siq is the main route into the Petra Archeological Park; it connects many of the site's most popular structures, back in the day (ancient times), the Siq was used as the caravan route to enter Petra. Its narrow, serpentine form helped limit access and hold enemies at bay; the geography helped the Nabatean city grow and flourish.
The Siq is an interesting geological phenomenon: an earthquake tear that formed a long, colorful path confined by soaring cliffs. Mike and Bone felt like being in the mountain's “pocket”, and most of the Road Scholar almost forgot about the cool stuff they were about to see.
Why does the sandstone seem to “flow”? While it was created by tectonic forces eons ago, as a geological fault, it was later to be smoothed by water flowing down from the ridges and the nearby valley, Wadi Musa. In that, it's different than standard canyon channels which are shaped initially by water drainage.
The result is a long and constricted path, in several parts, not wider than 10 feet, while engulfed by towering cliffs, and 200 to 500 feet high!
Wadi Musa! How Petra held its Water!
Those ancient Nabateans were no dummies. The Biblical Moses suposedly spent time in the area and a river was named after him Wadi Musa. River and rain water were diverted and captured off of Al-Siq as you can see in the trenches next two the Roman walkway made of stone by Mike and Bones old friend Hadrian!
Road Scholars in Al-Siq!
Walking in this beautiful sandstone canyon, the temperature dropped 20 degrees with a constant pleasant breeze being channeled through the path. It was interesting in that as the Road Scholars entered Al-Siq, their voices dropped to a whisper in the amazing colors of the sandstone flowed along the path.
Mike and Bone, Encapsulated in Al-Siq!!!
The problem with a place like this is it is impossible with either picture or video to truly capture the overwhelming beauty of the sandstone cliffs as the Boys moved slowly through Al-Siq.
A Nabatean Etching
The problem with a place like this is it is impossible with either picture or video to truly capture the overwhelming beauty of the sandstone cliffs as the Boys moved slowly through Al-Siq.
A Nabatean Traders Home
Since Al-Siq was the major route into Petra, traders carved their homes in the walls in order to expedite business with the caravans and be first to market.If was the first sign that they were getting closer to Petra.
A Golf Cart for Perspective!
"Dam, this is cool!"
As will most deserts, it has its rainy season. The Nabatean's attempted to regulate the inveitable floods that hit the area they built an ingenious dam system (shown above) that prevented flooding and directed water to reseviours for the dry seasons.
Stairway to Heaven?!?
Throughout Al-Siq, there were stairs carved through out Al-Siq, that showed how the Nabateans set up their defences along this strategic route!
Mike and Bone at the end of Al-Sik!
As the Boys walked along the magic corridor of Al-Siq they heard a ruckus up ahead and quickened their pace!
The Absolute Petra Treasure - - - The Treasury!
Mike and Bone walked out of the iconic Al-Siq to an even MORE iconic site, the Petra Treasury, also Al-Khazneh in Arabic, is a name derived from legends regarding the decorative stone urn high on the second level, which in reality is solid sandstone.
The Treasury rose to massive awareness in the West when it was used in the fourth Indiana Jones Movie. Anyone born in the last 40 years, have seen that movie at least 10 times.
The Treasure or Al-Khazneh name comes from the Exodus Bible legend, where the Egyptian Pharaoh and some of his armies escaped the closing of the Red Sea, created the Khazneh by magic as a safe place for his treasury, and continued in his pursuit of Moses. This led to the name Khazneh el-Far'oun, "Treasury of the Pharaoh".
Actually, the Treasury was originally built as a mausoleum and crypt at the beginning of the 1st century AD during the reign of Aretas IV Philopatris.
Many of the building's architectural details have eroded away during the two thousand years since it was carved and sculpted from the cliff. The sculptures are thought to be those of various mythological figures associated with the afterlife. On top are figures of four eagles that would carry away the souls. The figures on the upper level are dancing Amazons with double-axes. The entrance is flanked by statues of the twins Castor and Pollux who lived partly on Olympus and partly in the underworld.
Scott would walk a mile, with a Camel!
As some of the Road Scholars decided to see the view of the Treasury on Camel (for 3 bucks), Mike and Bone learned from Kamal that the Treasury was originally built as a mausoleum and crypt at the beginning of the 1st century AD during the reign of Aretas IV Philopatris.
Many of the building's architectural details have eroded away during the two thousand years since it was carved and sculpted from the cliff. The sculptures are thought to be those of various mythological figures associated with the afterlife. On top are figures of four eagles that would carry away the souls. The figures on the upper level are dancing Amazons with double-axes. The entrance is flanked by statues of the twins Castor and Pollux who lived partly on Olympus and partly in the underworld.
Mike and Bone, Without and With Romans!
After a twenty minute stop at arguable the most famous site in Petra, Kamal started to delve deeper into the heart of Petra.
Moving onto Street of Facades!
Tomb 69
Tomb 70
Kamal led the Road Scholars away from the Treasury to where the gorge widens into what is called the Street of Facades, where high tomb facades carved out of the rock on the left side stand next to each other like a row of mansions.
Each of these tombs are numbered. The tombs pictured above on the left, tomb BD 69, and at the center tomb BD 70. Both are basically of type Hegra but BD 70 is carved from the rock on three sides, rising up to 50 feet, and has some other features.
More on the Street of Facades!
Another highlight is the Uneishu Tomb, which stands elevated at the beginning of the western wall of the Jabal al-Khubtha massif.
A View of the Main Road in Petra
More "Main Street Scenes"
Walking out of the Street of Facades the Road Scholars came upon the amazing Petra Theater!
The Petra Theater!!
Petra Theater was built in the first century AD and is of Nabataean design. A substantial part of the theater was carved out of solid rock, while the scaena and exterior wall were constructed. The theater's auditorium consists of three horizontal sections of seats separated by passageways and seven stairways to ascend. The theater could accommodate a number of approximately 8500 people. Petra Theater follows similar architectural patterns of Roman theaters, which enhances superior acoustics.
The theater was built in the cultural and political apex of the Nabataean kingdom under Aretas IV (9 BC-40 AD), where large scale civic construction projects in Petra and other important Nabataean trading cities in Hijaz and the Negev took place. It is said that the theater-building activities of Herod the Great may have urged the Nabataean king to follow lead. The massive theater with its large capacity was positioned to bring the greatest number of tombs within view. It is an amazing view, from inside the Theater, Mike and Bone were able to check out the whole Petra City Center!
Although Roman in design, being carved out opposed to being built is characteristically distinctive Nabataean style and not a Roman manner. The floral capitals of the theater are also distinctively Nabataean artistic element. Minor alterations of the theater were made by Aretas son Malichus II and later on the Romans who re-built the exterior wall. Next, Mike and Bone checked out a not working fountain!
The Now Dry Fountain, the Nymphaeum
The former fountain had a key location; at the confluence of the Wadi Musa, flowing from east to west, and the Wadi Mataha, bringing the water diverted by the dam at the Siq entrance into the city from the northeast. It may also have been the terminus for the terracotta pipes and channels bringing water through the Siq itself. The sight and sound of water tumbling from such a monument must have been wonderful in such a parched city center. Afterwards the now mid-day sun beat mercilessly on the Road Scholars as they walked through the downtown section of Petra.
Moving into Petra City Center!
The Road Scholars journeyed on into a very Roman area, the Colonaded Street.In AD 106, when Cornelius Palma was governor of Syria, the part of Arabia under the rule of Petra was absorbed into the Roman Empire as part of Arabia Petraea, and Petra became its capital. The native dynasty came to an end but the city continued to flourish under Roman rule. Between 111 and 114 Trajan built the Via Traiana Nova, running from the Syrian border to the Red Sea through Petra. This road followed the old routes of Nabataean caravans and remnants of which are still found in the granite stones that Mike and Bone traipsed on in Al-Siq earlier in the Day. In the shadow of the Pax Romana, this route revived trade between Arabia, Syria, and Mediterranean harbors.
In 130 AD, our old friend, Hadrian visited the former Nabataean capital, giving it the name of Hadriānī Petra Metropolis, imprinted on his coins. His visit, however, did not lead to any boom in development and new buildings as it did in Jerash. The province's governor, Sextius Florentinus, erected a monumental mausoleum for his son near the end of the al-Hubta (King's Wall) tombs, which had been generally reserved during the Nabataean period for the royal family.
Roaming Roman Remnants!
The interest that Roman emperors showed in the city in the 3rd century suggests that Petra and its environs remained highly esteemed for a long time. An inscription to Liber Pater, a god revered by Emperor Septimius Severus, was found in the temenos of the temple known as Qasr al-Bint, and Nabataean tombs contained silver coins with the emperor's portrait, as well as pottery from his reign. Emperor Elagabalus declared Petra to be a Roman colony, when he reorganized the Roman Empire towards the end of the 3rd century. The area from Petra to Wadi Mujib, the Negev, and the Sinai Peninsula were annexed into the province of Palaestina Salutaris. Well into the Byzantine era of Rome (based in Constantinople), Petra was important and could be seen on the Madaba mosaic map from the reign of Emperor Justinian.
"No, Not Heavens Gate, Hadrians Gate!
In 130 AD, Mike and Bone's oldfriend, Hadrian visited the former Nabataean capital, giving it the name of Hadriānī Petra Metropolis, imprinted on his coins. His visit, however, did not lead to any boom in development and new buildings as it did in Jerash, other that the City Gate bein . The province's governor, Sextius Florentinus, erected a monumental mausoleum for his son near the end of the al-Hubta (King's Wall) tombs, which had been generally reserved during the Nabataean period for the royal family.
The interest that Roman emperors showed in the city in the 3rd century suggests that Petra and its environs remained highly esteemed for a long time. An inscription to Liber Pater, a god revered by Emperor Septimius Severus, was found in the temenos of the temple known as Qasr al-Bint, and Nabataean tombs contained silver coins with the emperor's portrait, as well as pottery from his reign. Emperor Elagabalus declared Petra to be a Roman colony, when he reorganized the Roman Empire towards the end of the 3rd century. The area from Petra to Wadi Mujib, the Negev, and the Sinai Peninsula were annexed into the province of Palaestina Salutaris. Well into the Byzantine era of Rome (based in Constantinople), Petra was important and could be seen on the Madaba mosaic map from the reign of Emperor Justinian. Walking through this area definitely had the typical Roman main street feel to it. At the end of the Colonaded Street, Kamal regalled the Road Scholars with the Store of Qasr al-Bint!
Casing Qasr al-Bint!
Street, Kamal regalled the Road Scholars with the story of Qasr al-Bint! Qasr al-Bint is one of the best preserved ancient structures still surviving in Petra today, it stands near the monumental gate and was a key focal point on the colonnaded street, as well as a focus of religious worship.
Kamal called it “the Palace of Pharaoh’s daughter.” This name derives from a local folktale according to which the virtuous daughter of a wicked Pharaoh determined to decide between her suitors by setting them the task of providing a water supply for her palace. Two suitors completed the task simultaneously by directing water to the palace from different springs in the hills surrounding it. The princess accepted the more modest of the two suitors who ascribed his success to God.
The deity to whom the Qasr al Bint was dedicated has been a source of scholarly debate. The temple faces north towards a sacrificial altar that was dedicated to Dushara, the main Nabataean deity, and due to this connection, it has been suggested by some scholars that it was also Dushara who was worshiped at the Qasr al-bint. A Greek inscription in the chamber to the east of the cella suggests that Zeus may also have been worshiped at Qasr.
Built in the first century, the Qasr al-Bint sits upon a podium made of a rubble core retained by courses of ashlar masonry. The temple itself is also constructed of ashlar blocks. Access to the temple is provided by a monumental marble staircase of 27 steps, which is divided by a landing. The plan is square and consists of a pronaos (or vestibule), a naos (or chamber), and a tripartite adyton which contains the cella, the most sacred part of the temple.
The vestibule was originally framed by four columns with Corinthian capitals. None of these columns remain standing, and only fragments of the capitals have been found. There are additional chambers on either side of the cella. These two chambers originally had upper rooms that could be accessed by staircases concealed in the building's thick walls. Both the interior and exterior walls were originally covered in decorative plaster work, some of which is still extant. Wooden-string courses line the lengths of the walls, and wooden wedges can still be found between some of the stones. The wood used in the structure has been identified as Lebanese Cedar.
Because of earthquakes, the Qasr al-Bint is one of the few ancient built-structures that remain standing in Petra. This is in spite of the fact that ashlar masonry, which was used in its construction, is vulnerable to damage by ground vibration during earthquakes. The symmetrical plan of Qasr el-Bint may have helped to reduce the moments of torsion that occurred during seismic activity at the site, however. The use of wooden string courses may also have enhanced the energy dissipation capacity of the structure. Some scholars believe that it is due to the inclusion of these wooden-string courses that the building is still standing at its full height. After that tale, Kamal, took the thirsty and hot Road Scholars to yet another Arabic Buffet lunch!
A Lunch Time Split Decision!
After a mediocre lunch in a hot, and crowded lunch room, just like Lewis and Clark, Mike and Bone decided that separating allowed them to check out more on their way back like Meriether and Lewis! Petra is a huge archeological site, the Road Scholars were only going to tour the most popular sites that are fairly close to the main street. One of the more iconic sites, the Monastery is a couple hour hike from the main site. Kamal tried to disuade everybody stating that while it was beautiful, it was a hike, and there were more things to see in the center of the site. Mike really wanted to check it out and Bone was hankering for some tomb diving (more like tomb climbing!) so the Boys split up and planned to meet up at the entrance for celebratory beer around 5:00!
Mike - Monitoring the Monastery!
Mike want to check out the Monastery, also known as “Ad Deir in Arabic, which was probably carved in the mid-first century AD. It arguably one of the most iconic monuments in the Petra Archaeological Park, the Monastery is located high in the hills northwest of the Petra city center. It is the second most commonly visited monument in Petra, after the Treasury.
Only a few of the Road Scholars went with Mike because it requires walking up a nearly 800-step path (40-minute walking time) from the Petra site center. From the Monastery, Mike was able to view the valleys of Wadi Araba and the beautiful gorges around Petra.
On the path to Ad Deir, the Monastery
Scholars believe that the flat area in front of the Monastery was levelled through human action in order to make the area suitable for social gatherings or religious occasions. Near the entrance of the structure are the remains of a wall and a colonnade. The rock-cut façade of the Monastery, 154 ft high and 48 157 ft wide, the two sides of which flank a central tholos-shaped element. This element has a conical roof that is topped by an urn.
Mike, Inside Ad Deir!
The interior layout of the Monastery consists of a single square chamber with a broad niche in the back wall. Each end of this niche contains four steps, and the niche itself is framed by pillars and a segmental arch. The room is thought to have been painted and plastered, even though none of these decorations have survived into the modern day.
The monastery is a spectacular example of Nabataean architecture. Its blending of architectural styles is a hallmark of the dynamic and hybridised nature of Petra as a whole.
No one is sure what the Monastery was built for. The suggestion that is served as a Nabataean royal tomb, based on external similarities with the Khazneh and the Tomb of the Roman Soldier is contradicted by the layout of the inner chamber and the apparently related structures in front of the Deir. The interior design doesn't contain any obvious burial, but that wouldn't be exceptional for the tombs of Petra. However, the rock-cut chamber has large central recess, a cella or adyton (innermost sanctuary), accessed by two short staircases, similar to those leading up to the cult podium of the Temple of the Winged Lions, which would be unusual for a tomb. It could also have been, maybe together with the structures on the hill opposite the Deir, the site of large public religious events. In classic Mike style, he smoked the other Road Scholars heading to Ad Deir and passed them on his way back from hot, grueling hike up!
Bone in the Tombs!
Bone picked up a new partner on his way walk to the Royal Tombs area. Carol the retired Canadian Teacher that spent 20 years teaching in Mexico was interested in checking out the tombs and tagged along.
The House of what?!? Dorotheus?!?
First stop was a complex of ruined houses, rather than just one, this set of ruins earned its name as Dorotheos' House from the Greek inscription on the triclinium. The triclinium, a vast building intended for feasting, is easily identified by the three doors and windows. Dorotheus's name is incised twice in Greek. Complex was probably the private dwelling of this wealthy citizen and his extended family. Next, stop was a bit of a climb, in fact most of the Tombs were actually a line of prominent monumental facades on the east cliffs flanking the valley in which Petra lies.
The Imperious Palace Tomb!
The Palace Tomb is a Nabataean tomb and is the first of the Royal Tombs that Bone checked out. At 49 meters wide and 46 meters tall, its rock-hewn façade is one of the largest in Petra. The tomb's name is derived from its supposed resemblance to a Roman palace design popularized by Nero's Golden House, as well as its wide and richly decorated structure. The descriptive name is based on its appearance today, rather than historical evidence for its use by royalty or occupation as a palace. The title “Palace Tomb” is recorded in the earliest catalog of tombs in Petra.
The Palace Tomb was built toward the end of the first century AD. This date is derived from the tomb's architectural style and its relationship to other nearby tombs, specifically due to the “marked deterioration” of its decorative classical elements. The facade of the Palace Tomb has three stories, the highest of which is notable because it reaches beyond the face of the cliff and is built, rather than carved, in the top left corner. This construction is significant as the Palace Tomb is one of the only monuments in Petra which mixes the carved and built structure.
The main floor has four burial rooms, some of which have graves carved into the walls. Additionally, several of these rooms have niches carved around them, in line with the natural patterns of the rock. Flanking the aedicula are single columns, double-engaged or decorated only with two vertical lines. Two smaller, similarly decorated columns are carved to either side of each doorway, and two yet smaller columns are themselves the sides of each entrance. Each gate has a small ramp to the interior, which could facilitate movement between the inner space and more publicly visible outer area. Bone could not believe the vivid colors in the burial chambers, after a few minutes he moved on to check out a politician's tomb!
The Burial Place of a Roman Senator? The Sextius Florentinus Tomb
Petra certainly did have the attentions of the Romans during their day. The next tomb is named after Lucius Aninius Sextius Florentinus (who died between 127 and 130) and was a Roman senator, who held a number of imperial appointments during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. He died while governing Roman Arabia; his son had a tomb prepared for him at Petra. Bone standing in the Senators doorway gives a great perspective on just how big these tombs are! Next Bone checked out the mis-named Corinthian Tomb.
The Corinthian Tomb was named based on the style of the capitals which are strictly not Corinthian but floral horned Nabatean capitals. When Petra was "re-discovered" by Europeans, they misnamed it. The last picture above is a view from inside the Corinthian Tomb, and gives a great perspective Petra valley below. Next Bone checked out a tomb clothed in mystery,,,, the Silk Tomb!
Seeing the Rich Colors of the Silk Tomb
The Silk Tomb dates back to the first half of the first century AD. The Tomb noted by its four columns. It's name comes from the rich color of the sandstone and is considered one of the most dramatically colored tombs in Petra. Bone then checked out the last iconic tomb, the Urn Tomb!
Urning to be Seen! the Urn Tomb
The Urn tomb is named on the jar that crowns the pediment. Also called by the Bedouin al-Mahkamah (court of justice) it was probably constructed around 70 AD. High up in the facade there are 3 niches which give on to small burial chambers, but which was adapted in 446 AD to serve as a Byzantine church. Archeologist believe that the Urn Tomb was built by the Nabataean King Malchus II or King Aretas IV who died in 70 AD. Bone dived in to check out the last tomb.
The view of the Petra that Bone had from the Urn Tomb was amazing. Each view was a postcard on its own! By now it was pushing 4:30, and Bone wanted that ice cold beer with his buddy so he headed back up the Street of Facades into the Al-Siq back to the entrance. While it took 7 hours to tour the site, it only took Bone 30 minutes to get back to the entrance in time to reconnect with Mike for a celebratory brewski!
Victory Beers! Mike and Bone DID Petra!!!
Finding a little outdoor cafe, the Boys started with the classic Pilsner Urquels, and moved on to a local Petra beer as they caught up on their separate journeys and enjoyed the early evening. They did have one thing to figure out.
"When was Petra abandoned?"
Well in 363 AD, Petra suffered a massive earthquake which destroyed many of the city's buildings and its water-supply system. This natural disaster marked a turning point for the Nabataeans. By 700, only a few people lived in and around Petra. Over time, the city was "lost" to the outside world.
But really, it was never lost. Per Kamal, the Jordanian Government had to move Nabatean Families out of some of the Tombs when they made Petra a National Park.
So to answer the question: "Where did the Nabateans go? No Where! they are still there!"
With that heady question answered, Mike and Bone enjoyed one more beverage and went back to the Hotel, where they saw a lot of tired but delighted Road Scholars having another buffet dinner. With the full day in the hot sun, all the hiking around and the multiple malted grain beverages, Mike and Bone retired early, but with red-stained sandstone dancing in their memories!