Although most of what can be seen at Petra today was built by the Nabataeans, the area is known to have been inhabited from as early as 7,000 to 6,500 BC. Evidence of an early settlement from this period can still be seen today at Little Petra, just north of the main Petra site. By the Iron Age (1,200 to 539 BC), Petra was inhabited by the Edomites. They settled mainly on the hills around Petra rather than the actual site chosen by the Nabataeans. Although the Edomites were not proficient at stone masonry, they excelled at making pottery and it seems they passed this craft on to the Nabataeans.
The Treasury at Petra is a massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink, rock-face and dwarfing everything around it. There are hundreds of elaborate rock-cut tombs with intricate carvings - unlike the houses, which were destroyed mostly by earthquakes, the tombs were carved to last throughout the afterlife and 500 have survived, empty but bewitching as you file past their dark openings. Here also is a massive Nabataean-built, Roman-style theatre that could seat 3,000 people. There are obelisks, temples, sacrificial altars and colonnaded streets, and high above, overlooking the valley, is the impressive Ad-Deir (A Monastery) – a flight of 800 rock-cut steps takes you there.
Petra is one of the new 7 World Wonders.
The Nabataeans were a nomadic Arab people from Arabia who began to arrive and slowly settle in Petra at the end of the 6th century BC. It seems their arrival at Petra was unplanned, as their original intent was to migrate to southern Palestine. No doubt they found this place attractive with its plentiful supply of water, defensive canyon walls and the friendly Edomites, with whom it seems they had a peaceful coexistence. By the 2nd century BC, Petra had become a huge city encompassing around 10km, and was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. The Nabataeans were a literate people who spoke a dialect of Aramaic, the language of biblical times, and samples of their beautiful calligraphy can be seen carved into the rock face at Petra.
The Treasury at Petra is a massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink, rock-face and dwarfing everything around it. There are hundreds of elaborate rock-cut tombs with intricate carvings - unlike the houses, which were destroyed mostly by earthquakes, the tombs were carved to last throughout the afterlife and 500 have survived, empty but bewitching as you file past their dark openings. Here also is a massive Nabataean-built, Roman-style theatre that could seat 3,000 people. There are obelisks, temples, sacrificial altars and colonnaded streets, and high above, overlooking the valley, is the impressive Ad-Deir (A Monastery) – a flight of 800 rock-cut steps takes you there.
Petra is one of the new 7 World Wonders.
We started our day with the views of the Treasury, we then hiked to the Royal Tombs. The Royal Tombs are not quite as well maintained due to their location. After a quick stop to the church we then hiked up to the Monestary. Christina decided to be the every ready bunny and sprint up the entire hike. As a good little travel partner, I followed reluctantly with great haste. I think the Monestary is way cooler but that is just me. After coming down, our tour had lunch down at the restaurant. Lunch was hummus and pita, the staple of the entire middle eastern trip. Half of us decided to go hike to the top to view the Treasury. This is where I released Grandpa (and Christina released her Opa). It was amazing. After this, we decided to do one more hike to the sacrifice area. All I wanted by this point was ice cream.
I would highly recommend everyone go to Petra. Words cannot fully describe it.
AFN
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