-PeTrA, JoRdAn-

-PeTrA-

Petra was founded along the ancient trade routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea. Petra means "rock" in Greek, fitting for a town literally carved out of sandstone desert cliffs. It is located about three hours south of Amman, the capital of Jordan, and was founded by a nomadic Arab tribe known as the Nabataeans several centuries before Christ's birth.

The Nabataeans were renowned for their great skills in trade, agriculture, engineering, and architectural stone-carving.As a center for trade, the capital became very wealthy and powerful. The busy city was bustling with life, full of lush gardens, ornate houses, and markets loaded with exotic goods from India, Arabia, and Egypt. Petra flourished for centuries, even after it was taken over by the Roman Empire in A.D. 106. Eventually, Rome moved the center of trade away from Petra and the city's importance slowly faded. Over time, the city that was once a vibrant and vital capital was abandoned and fell into ruins. For over 500 years, the city was forgotten, known only to local people.

It was not until 1812 that a Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt re-discovered it. Today, it is one of the world's most famous ancient sites. Still, only 5 percent of the city has been uncovered, and many mysteries remain. The ancient city of Petra was literally carved from the sandstone cliffs of southern Jordan. There the Nabataeans built temples and tombs, houses and halls, altars and aquaducts. And they built a civilization that stood at the crossroads of the ancient Near East, a center for commerce as the spice routes and trading trails of the time all flowed through Petra.

Petra tours entering the location of the city have to pass through 1 km of a winding narrow gorge or Siq. As you journey through soaring vertical cliffs on either side dwarfs the Siq visitors. After weaving through the sheer pink tinged rock faces you finally glimpse the Al-Khazneh (treasury), the entrance to which has been carved into a sheer rock face. This intricately carved facade is believed to have been built in the 1st Century to house the tomb of a Nabataean King.

The Corinthian Tomb comes next. It is very worn, but if one stops to examine it, it is very ornate and similar to the Treasury.

Beside the Urn Tomb is a small tomb known as the Silk Tomb. This name comes from the rich color of the sandstone. IT is one of the most dramatically colored tombs in Petra.

The Palace Tomb is very wide, and has three distinct stories in it's facade. Supposedly, it is similar to the Roman palace design of the Golden House of Nero. In front of the tomb is a large stage and in front of this a large courtyard. It is almost as if the Palace Tomb was designed as a backdrop for State funerals.

Royal tomb of Nabataean King Malchus 2, who died in 70 AD (above)

On the rear wall is an inscription recording the consecration of the tomb as a church and cathedral by Bishop Jason in 447 AD.

The main chamber is very large and impressive. Along the back wall are three asps, constructed when the tomb was converted into a church.

Along the side of the front courtyard are a line of columns. The door to the main chamber is rather eroded on the bottom, but the lines are still quite visible. Far above the door are three burial chambers.