Petra – The “Lost City” of the Nabataean Empire (A City Carved In Stone)

Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was but a young man when he first set eyes on Petra. An ambitious person by nature, he studied at Cambridge, and was to find the road from Cairo to the Malian city of Timbuktu, once home to the gold store of Masa Munsa. For this journey Johann would have to become an Arab himself and Syria being a stepping stone for this journey. And so the bright eyed Swiss had styled himself, Sheikh Ibrahim Ibn Abdallah, and had immersed himself in the Arab world in the city of Aleppo. While traveling to the Middle East, he stopped at Malta where he heard of Ulrich Jasper Seetzen, a German explorer (who discovered Jerash) who had left Cairo in search of the lost city of Petra, and was killed along the way. Intrigued he decided to see for himself if he could located the city on his journey to Cairo from Syria. Still passing as an Arab, he convinced locals Muslims to take him to sacrifice goat at tomb of Aaron, brother of Moses, rumored to be near the lost city. He did not want to ask about Petra, least he raise suspicion of being an infidel, where the penalty for this type of activity would be death. He hurried though the Siq, recording mention of the grand treasury and amazed at the rock cut tombs around him, but weary of the foreign eyes upon him. Petra was a dangerous place to be for a man like him. The longer he lingered the more their suspicions would grow!

Completing his journey to Cairo, Burckhardt’s exploits made waves in the archeological community and set the template for the African explorer Richard Burton who would travel to Mecca under the guise of a Muslim a few decades later. This act is still forbidden today, so this was seen as quite the daring exploit.

Johann lied in Egypt for two years waiting for his assignment, yet it kept getting pushed back to to political circumstances. While there he was the first to record the existence of the Abu SImbel Temple, dedication to Ramsesse the Great, an act unfortunately credited to Italian explorer Giovanni Belzoni, a man who he had revealed the existence of the temple too. Unfortunately he died of disease before he could ever leave for Timbuckto, yet his greatest exploit was the discovery of Petra, a target not originally intended for him. By doing so he cemented his place in the annals of exploration history, even if overshadowed by men like Burton.

For more information about nearby Little Petra, a caravan stop north near Al-Beyda of the city, take a look at this post or take a look below.

Geography

Located in the southern quadrant of Jordan, in the Ma’an governate, Petra, today located near the Bedouin village of Wadi Musa, has occupied an important position in this part of the Middle East. Located north of the gulf of Aquaba, the city was strategically located at an important juncture of trade from the hinterland of Arabia to the south-east, the rich lands of Syria to the north and Egypt to the west. The site lies in a basin and is surrounded by menacing mountains, with the exception of a large opening in the landscape to the north-est. Although the site is dry and desertic in nature, the desert dwelling Nabatheans put the site to good used, capturing its natural hydrology and putting it into good use. This will further be discussed in the next sections.

Meet the Nabateans

Like the Bedouin of southern Jordan of today, the Nabateans were a nomadic people from the Arabian peninsula. They survived off the land herding goats, camels and sheep and their knowledge of the perilous desert would make them the ideal merchants. As these desert dwellers caravans captured much of the spice and incense trade their power grew and they became settled in one place, giving up the goatskins and running the deserts from their homes in Petra.

A Brief History

The beginnings of the city are relatively unclear but human occupation of the region goes back to 7000B.C, whereas the city would not be constructed till much later.

Nabataean Empire

The city would come into being under the rule the of the desert dwelling Nabataeans, starting sometime before its turn as the Nabataean capital around 400 B.C (I do not have an exact date). The city probably came about after water was discovered here. The Nabataean were masters of the desert and got to know all of the oasis and seasonal desert streams. What is not known is why they chose this area to settle down in when they had been content with a nomadic life up to that date.

Roman Occupation and Client State

In 106 B.C the city was taken over by the Roman Empire as a subsection of their province of Arabia, Arabia Petraea. The Nabetaeans volentarely entrusted themselves to the Romans in the hopes of warding off invasion and ruin to their lands. After the extinguishing of the native kings of Petra, Rome took over direct operations. At first this rule was successful, a road (called the Via Traiana Nova) was constructed following the ancient caravan route from Syria to the Read Sea via Petra. In later years however trade decreased, much of it to the Syrian city of Palmyra and the city was stifled by the threat posed by the Sassanid Persians. The city slowly lost importance, being though of only as a Roman colony.

Byzantine Era

After the Empire split in two the city became part of the Byzantine Empire. The town had retained some degree of importance as the capital the district of Palaestina III. Early in their rule the town was devastate by an earthquake 363 A.D. The earthquake damaged the town’s structures but more importantly it damaged the water management systems (discussed later in this post). Nerveless records indicate that the city remained of some importance until the 6th century. The city was last mentioned during the 7th century, by this time it was virtually abandoned. it had fallen so low that it is not even mentioned during the Islamic conquest.

Crusader and Arab (Mamluk) Period

During the 12th century the Crusaders, under the banner of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, built a castle at Petra but were soon forced to abandon the city. This would be the last look at the city by western eyes for hundreds of years. In the 13th century it was visited by the Mamluck sultan of Egypt.

Rediscovery and Modern Era

As previously mentioned the city was rediscovered by the Swiss Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. It was previously thought by some that the Jordanian city of Karak, corresponded to the location of Petra. Although many treasures were pludered from the city in its early years, the 19th and 20the centuries have seen a flurry of archeological activity.

Arrival in Wadi Musa & Hydrology

As a Canadian visiting Jordan, I could not believe what was unfolding before my eyes! A thick fog has slowed my journey from Wadi Rum to Wadi Musa to a crawl and a thick blanker of snow had installed itself on the desertic mountainous landscape. It was almost surreal!

By the time I had reached Wadi Musa, the snow gave way to a torrential rainfall. The flooding was so severe that Petra had a rain out, a rare feat (just my luck!). Interestingly the Nabeteans were well aware of the flash flooding that occasionally happens in the Wadi Musa valley. Using these rare rain events they turned Petra into an artificial oasis, a refuge in the desert. To do so they completed a complex system of damns and cisterns to funnel the water into the heart of the city. In actually, the entrance that Burckhardt took into Petra and the one that you will take during your visit, the Siq, was actually a waterway into the Petra Valley from Wadi Musa. In fact the Siq was not the primary entrance to the city as visitors used to approach the city via an open plain to the west.

Despite this evidence of a complex piping system into the Nabetean capital, local folklore says that this engineering marvel was created by the wand of Moses, when he struck the rock to bring forth water for the Israelites. I must say that I kind of like this explanation from a storytelling perspective.

I checked into my hotel and tried to figure out what to do for the day. With Petra closed I would have to find a new plan of action.

Making the Best of A Lost Day & Day Trips (Petra Museum, Little Petra/Al-Bayda and Shobak)

Petra Archeological Museum

Since Petra was shut for the day, we started at the Petra Museum. Many countries have contributed to the preservation of Petra an an archeological site. This museum was in fact sponsored by the Japanese garden and is a nice companion to the archeological site itself.

Inside you will find exhibits detailing information on Nabatean life and culture at Petra, these displays were accompanied by many artifacts found at the site. There are over 280 artifacts on display!

The artifacts include many iconic items that you will surely recognize by reading national geographic!

Little Petra and Al-Bayda

This ancient Caravan stop located north of the city offers a view of life for the desert caravaners. It also features similar architecture to Petra with reduced crowds, including its own Siq. Not far from this magnificent hangout you will find many caves as well as the village foundations of Al-Bayda, one of the oldest settlements in the world. To find out more read my article on the subject here.

Shobak (Montréal Castle)

Another gem located north of the city, Shobak is known for the Montréal crusader castle, a hilltop ruin known for its brutal history. To read more about Outrejortdain’s crusader masterpieces read this castle post here.

The Town of Wadi Musa (and Where to Grab A Beer!)

Wadi Musa is a fairly modern creation, and as such is not exactly a bastion of culture outside of Petra and the associated museum. This being said it has a few cool hangouts and the mountain scenery can be absolutely stunning especially at night! The city was created after the forced displacement for a nearby redound from Petra itself and surrounding villages in 1985. Today the bustling town has over 50 hotels and an economy resting on tourist dollars.

As a side note an ancient Nabatean settlement called Gaia once resided where Wadi Musa stands today!

There are restrictions on who can sell alcohol in Jordan, typically only international hotels and Christians, as such there are only two popular bars in Petra. A word of warning there can either be crowded, especially in the evening and expensive as the booze is heavily marked up. One of these is at the Marriott directly in front of the Petra visitors center (the hotel also runs a terrace directly in the Petra old town).

The fun thing about this bar is that it is a faux Nabatean temple, built to look like a cave!

That being said the best bar in town is the Kilkenny Bar attached to the Petra palace hotel. This is one of the few bars in town and possibly that which I recommend the most (although the cave bar is cool).

If you want a good local micro try the Carakale brewing company. This beer is brewed in Amman and has a pleasant flavor.

For a general purpose macro, you need need to try a Petra (since you are in Petra). It ain’t good but its 8 percent so who cares – it will get you there quicker!

Exploring Petra

Visitors Center, Length of Visit & Tips and Tricks

For those of you who got your visa on arrival along with the Jordan Pass, you will have the chance to choose how many days at Petra are included with you pass. Whether Petra is included with your pass or not, you will still have to pick up tickets at the visitors. I recommend a minimum of two days to explore the site! Petra opens at 6 am and I strongly recommend showing up at this time. Not only will the ticket office be empty but you will have unobstructed views of the treasury as tourist must travel along the long Bab as-Siq road in. A word of warning apparent the Bedouin offering camels rides into Petra have already been payed with the price of your admission yet even when all out about it they wont be offering camel rides at a discount.

Site Map

From Wadi Musa in the east of the map, you will be able to enter the Siq leading to the treasury. From here the lost city of Petra is yours to explore!

Bab as-Siq (“Gate to the Siq”)

The eastern approach to the site take place though the Siq From the visitors center. To reach it you must pass through the Bab as-Siq – the gate to the Siq, once the road connecting Gaia (Wadi Musa) to Petra. This long 900m pathway will lead you to many monumental ruck cut tombs along the way, the fist of which are the the the Djinn Blocks. These second or third century rock cut tombs, are reference to by locals as Djinn blocks. Opposite to these blocks you will find a series of burial caves in the smooth rock formations.

Djinns are an Arab version of a genie and the rectangular blocks may have been thought of as a refuge for them. In fact they were probably used as cisterns during the Byzantine Era

The most impressive of these tombs is the Obelisk tomb (Bab as-Siq Triclinium), built during the first century A.D.

The Siq

This 1.2 meter passage is now the main road into Petra. Narrowing and widening several times. This is the passageway that our young Swiss took into the city and that we now use today. It leads to the treasury offering one of the most stunning reveals in the history of travel!

In the rock walls you may be able to observe a few things. The first is the carvings on the rock wall and the second is the water channels that once lined it. Unfortunately the Siq was once doted with an archway but it was lost to a 19th century earthquake. For those of you interested in the carved niches they once containing baetyli (Sacred Stones), the presence of which suggest that the Siq was possibly sacred to the Nabatean people.

Eventually the winding Siq walls peel back and give way to the equally stunning Treasury building.

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

The most elegant of Petra’s buildings, the Treasury, emerges from he Siq to greet the visitor. Carved into the sandstone rockface during the 1st century AD, the ornate building it is believed to be the mausoleum of King Aretas IV! Note the lack of crowds… this is why you show up early!

The name Al-Khazneh is Arabic for the Treasury, a name it gained from the local Bedouin in the early 19th century who believed it contained treasures. This is due to a local legend explaining that the building was created by magic by the Egyptian Pharaoh after he escaped the closing of the Red Sea. According to this legend it was created to store the Egyptian treasury while the king continued in his pursuit of Moses – thus Khaznet el-Far’oun or the “Treasury of the Pharaoh”. Some Bedouin even though that the carved urn on the top of the building contained treasure, thus why you will see bullet holes in it, as they tried to shoot it down.

Please do not touch the structure, it has suffered damage at the hands of tourists in recent years and the sandstone has receded.

You are likely to make stray friends at Petra. They are mostly harmless and are the companion of the bedouin!

As are these guys!

Note: The Al-Khubtha Trail Viewpoint will take you up behind the Treasury for a great view from above. This trailhead starts near the royal tombs and is one of the best possible views you can get of the site. If you plan on doing this trail, do so early in the morning so you get get a clear shot of the treasury.

Tomb of Unayshu

The first glimpse you will get of of Petra’s monumental Royal Tombs, this road will elad you directly into the roadside Bedouin market.

The Assyrian-style graves are located on the so-called “street of facades” extending out to the Nabatean theater and it is easy to tell why the name came about from the beautiful detailing.

High Place of Sacrifice and Wadi Farasa Trailread (Altar of Sacrifice, Lion Fountain, Villa on Ez-Zantour Hill, Temples and Assorted Tombs)

Just before the Nabathean theater you will see a sign for this trailhead leading up to the High Place of Sacrifice on the Attuf Ridge. This trail goes up the western approach of the canyon, up a very beautiful rock formation. The path is composed of stairs carved into the stone making it fairly obvious to find.

From the early steps up you will get a great view of the street of facades and the Nabatean theater.

This trailhead covers the area west of the treasury canyon. It continues up to the summit where the place of sacrifice was once located. From there you can follow the path west back down the mountain on the other side. This pathway is that of the Wadi Farasa and will lead you around the site, past the Villa on Ez-Zantour Hill to the temple of Temple of Dushares. On your way down you will experience an impressive set of tombs and temples that will be discussed later. It take 45+ minutes to reach the top but about 2.5 hours to complete the loop!

It will take you up above the site via a narrow gorge that is fairly steep so make sure you have the proper footwear.

The views from the top are magnificent and precipitous as the cliff drops 170m below. The site would have been used for the blood letting of animals as it can be deduced from the drainage canals. It may have been dedicated to the Nabataean gods of Dushara and Al ‘Uzza but beyond this much is speculation. For a detailed look at this area check out this link from rough guides.

Once you are done here head back down via the Wadi Farasa. On the walk down you will come across the lion fountain depicting the god al-Uzza as well as the Garden Triclinium, a cave known for its green tree, in the spring time, a rarity in these parts. Other important tombs include the The Roman Soldier Tomb as well as The Renaissance Tomb and Broken Pediment Tomb. The walk after this is devoid of shade/is a barren wasteland so make sure you have adequate water.

Nabataean Theater

Built during the peak of Nabataen civilization, it dates from the reign of king Aretas IV, during the first century A.D. This building is noted for its distinct style, combining the acoustic centric design of Roman constructions with the detailing reserved for Nabatean structures. The capacity of this building would have been enough to fit 8500 spectators.

Bedouin Souk

Past the theater you will find a Bedouin market selling all sorts of goods, trinkets and beverages.

One of the stalls belongs to the author of Married to a Bedouin, a book written about a western nurse who married a Arab man from Petra. Together they lived in a cave and she cared for the villagers while raiser their children. Uf she is in take the chance to talk to her, she is an interesting woman.

I always find it entertaining to watch the locals bring in an out their goods with donkeys and camels. To give them rest the animals usually find some shade in the ancient caves of Petra.

Royal Tombs

On the eastern flank of the canyon you will find a series of decorative tombs that are almost too beautiful to be believed, running from the Tomb of Unayshu at the south to the north you have the Urn Tomb, Silk Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb. These buildings were carved into the sandstone of the Jabal al-Khubtha massif. It is believed that these belonged to Nabataean rulers, although it cannot be ascribed to what ones. From the Silk tomb you will have a wonderful view of the Petra valley below.

Note: The Al-Khubtha Trail Viewpoint will take you up behind the Treasury for a great view from above. This trail-head starts near the royal tombs and is one of the best possible views you can get of the site.

City of Petra

The valley you enter into after you leave the confines of the Siq canyon is where the residential settlement of Petra was located. It would have been surrounded by city walls, especially to the north where the city could be accessed without crossing the mountain range.

Hadrian’s Gate and the Roman Road

One of the lasting signs of Roman rule was this paved walkway running from east to west, connecting many of the city’s most important buildings. It was once colonnaded but many of these are now lost to time.

On the western end of the roadway you will find Hadrian’s gate, a monumental (and now ruined) archway. This gateway is sometimes called Temenos Gate.

Nymphaeum

There is little left of this ancient public fountain but a four century old pistachio tree.

Great Temple

Possibly the most imposing building in residential Petra, this is another 1st century A.D building from the reign of the mighty king Aretas IV. Although the temple is heavily in a state of ruin it is still impressive. Many of Petra’s artifacts came from the rubble of this site.

Temple of Dushares (Qasr al-Bint)

Probably the only thing left with walls this temple is one of the best preserved in Petra. It is located at the western extent of the site, roughly at the end of the Roman road.

The Arabic name for the place is Qasr al-Bint Fir’aun, or “the palace of Pharaoh’s daughter.” in line with the Arabic name for the Treasury. The temple would have been built to worship Dushara, but the second deity worshipped here is still a mystery.

The building was likely constructed during the 1st century with an expansion in the second. It was burned in the third but its composition with wood slats may have given it enough tension resistance to resist the torsion forces of an earthquake.

Villa on Ez-Zantour Hill

This 1st century villa is located at the south end of the site near Wadi Farasa and is but foundation ruins.

Blue Chapel

This church is known for its almost blue coloured granite columns. Its position is one that offered an unparalleled view of the city bellow including the great temple.

Ridge Church (Red Church)

Little is left of this 3rd century church and tomb system. Still worth a look!

Temple of the Winged Lion

This large temple dating from the first century A.D in in ruinous condition. It may have been dedicated to the supreme goddess figure of the Nabateans, but the exact identity of the lady in uncertain. The temple was destroyed during the fourth century earthquake.

Byzantine Church

Too often passed over by travellers, this ancient structure on the north side of the city is known for its beautiful floor mosaics. The building was constructed in the 5th century AD yet destroyed in the 7th century A.D due to a fire. Its importance to the site was underlined by the discovery of 140 papyri that gave archaeologists important info about Byzantine Petra.It is the last of the three byzantine churches on the northern ridge of the town.

The Beer Garden (The Basin)

At the western end of the site, not far from the road up to the monastery you will come across a beer garden called the basin operated in the heart of the park. A great place to come hang out after a long day at your feat. With a few drinks in you the walk back to Wadi Musa Shouldn’t be too bad.

The Monastery (Ed-Deir)

Petra’s most famous hike may be done by way of the donkey or walk. For environmental reasons (trail erosion) I recommend the traditional way, walking!

Walking around this area you will see the entrance to one of the wadis where the spring floods pours down the mountains.

You will also get to view more caves and more donkeys!

The 45 minute hike takes you up the old the old processional route to the monastery, one of Petra’s iconic buildings.

The Ed-Deir trail will take you past many obstacles including this massive rock in which a doorway has been carved through.

The deep red colour of the rock is as visible here as it is on the Treasury if not more.

The hike will take you up more then 800 badly worn steps.

And across strange lunar like landscapes.

Along the way you will actual find a few Bedouin shops selling anything from water or coffee to handcrafted wares such as shawls, carpets and souvenirs, some of them even made by the local women. To my surprise I wanted to purchase an item but I was running out of cash on my, purchased an an electronic square payment machine… Damn these Bedouin are even more advanced then most Canadian shopkeepers!

Ad-Deir, the monastery is a massive tomb dating from the third century B.C. The building’s name derive from the crosses carved on the inside walls, suggesting that it was probably used as a church during the Byzantine Era. In front of the building would have been a colonnaded ceremonial era but this no longer exists.

From the monastery you have a few options. The first is to return back down the way you came, the second is to hang around behind the monastery. Here you will find the As Deir Restaurant/tea shop run from a cave behind the building. Furthermore if you climb up on a hill behind that restaurant you will have a fantastic panoramic view of the monastery and the rock it is carved in.

Alternatively there is a path that leads across the mountain range to Little Petra from the monastery. On this narrow precipice you will have a fantastic view but it does take 2.5 hours (or 6km’s). It may be a better use of your time to drive to Little Petra instead especially if you only have a day or two at Petra.

The Tomb of Aaron and Byzantine Monastery

This grave site located at the top of Mount Hor, the barren western hilltop extent of Petra. Muslims believe that of Aaron (Haroun), the brother of Moses, is buried here (Jews for their part are unsure of the location of his grave). The shrine dates from the 14th century. You will also find the excavated ruins of a Byzantine Monastery. To reach the summit I recommend hiring a guide as the tomb is located relatively far from Petra on an unmarked trail.

Petra By Night

Unfortunately I did not have time for this event (I plant to return) as it only tuns on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evening, this not fitting into my itinerary. This even does look fabulous with hundreds of candles illuminating the Siq and the Treasury in the cool desert evening.

Conclusion

Petra is no less impressive now then it was centuries ago. Although the barren, windswept land of southern Jordan is no longer swelling with caravan traffic, the empty city has been filled with a new kind of traveller – the tourist. As previously mentioned the city is one of the greats of antiquity, yet it was not totally forgotten. The Bedouin have been living here for generations and have been instrumental in restoring a semblance of life about the place. The rediscovery of Petra was a perilous should not be underplayed however as the infidel risked life and limb for the cause of exploration and archaeology and I for one think it must have been worth it to lay eyes on this incredible work of human ingenuity.