Petra – Jordan is not all about Petra, but Petra is, no doubt, the most impressive historical site in the country, and one of the most striking in the Middle East. The facades sculpted in stone, the different architectural styles and the natural rock formations give the site a near-extraterrestrial quality.
Even though there are signs that the region is inhabited since the Neolithic Period, the Nabataeans, who settled there around the 6th century BC, were the ones responsible for establishing and developing Petra, one of the seven new wonders of the world.
The Nabataeans were originally a nomadic people from the West of the Arabian Peninsula, who migrated to the region where Jordan is now located way before the emergence of the Islam and the Arab expansion that ensued, starting in the 7th century AD. There are even Nabataean ruins in Jordan.
Petra is located along the route of ancient caravans, and was a trade hub for centuries, which made it rich. In the 2nd century of the Christian era, Petra was conquered by the Romans and, later on, integrated to the Byzantine Empire.
The fact that it connected east and west explains the architectural variety of the site. The most famous building in the city, known as The Treasury, which served as a setting for films and soap operas, is an example of eclecticism and religious syncretism.
Even though at first glance the façade set in stone seems like that of a Greco-Roman temple, the details are reminiscent of the Nabataean and even the Egyptian culture. At the top of the structure, there is a partly erased relief of a female figure that is said to represent the Egyptian goddess Isis. On the sides, near the ground level, other reliefs depict Greek deities.
The urn sculpted on top of the façade is a typically Nabataean symbol and is what gives the monument its name. Built as the tomb of king Aretas III, the Treasury got its name from the Bedouins who live in the region. A legend tells that an Egyptian pharaoh had hidden his treasury in the urn. In order to try and lay their hands in the precious items, the locals would take shots at the container, not knowing that it is made of solid rock.
Another special feature of the building is its location, reasonably protected in a sort of natural square surrounded by rocks. This enabled an excellent state of preservation, unlike other structures in Petra that were made of sandstone and did not resist the passing of time so well.
Protected
The Nabataeans picked the location of their city well, surrounded by mountains that provided protection against enemies. In order to arrive at the city itself, one must walk down a long natural corridor flanked by rocks, named Siq. In it, the inhabitants built a complex water supply system, with troughs carved on the sides, ceramics pipes and damns for storing water from rains or seasonal rivers.
Most of the best-preserved structures are tombs, and façades are always the highlight. Past the Siq river mouth, there is “Façade Street”, which, although less impressive than the Treasury, are several, built in typical Nabataean style. Further ahead there is a theatre carved in stone which was built by the Nabataeans, even though it appears to be Roman.
Heading towards the centre of the city, on the side of a hill, the Royal tombs were carved, a series of majestic façades somehow reminiscent of Mount Rushmore, in the United States, which features sculpted faces of former United States presidents.
As in Egypt, the funerary structures in Petra have resisted the passing of time better than the palaces, houses and public buildings. But the city houses ruins, mostly of temples, and even of a Byzantine church, as well as the avenue, named Cardo Maximus, with Roman-style columns.
Lost
When the Muslim Arabs arrived in the region, in the 7th century AD, Petra was already in decay. Way before that, the creation of new trade routes had already led the city to lose its status as an important hub, and after the Cruzades it was virtually abandoned, having become a lost city up until the 19th century, when it was “rediscovered” by European explorers.
For centuries, Petra was inhabited and frequented only by Bedouins. They used the tombs as a shelter up until the 1980s, when they were towed by the Jordanian government to a nearby village.
Until this day, however, these desert people retain a strong presence at the huge historic site and benefits from the intense tourist activity by renting horses, camels and donkeys, taking visitors on cart rides and selling handicraft.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
