Petra by Morning

The Siq and Al-Khazneh

 

The Siq (Shaft)

The Siq through which we dramatically entered the ancient city of Petra is a natural wonder. It is a labyrinthine gorge, 1.2 km long which ends at Al-Khazneh or the Treasury.

Tourists approach the Siq through the  east. It is dark and narrow and in some places it is only 3-4 m (10-13 ft.) wide.  This geological wonder is formed by a deep cleft in the sandstone rock, starting right from the top through to the bottom. It serves as a waterway to Wadi Musa.

The Journey through the Siq Has Just Begun

The Tapering of  the Rocks

The Cleft becomes Slimmer

In ancient times,the caravan drivers knew of their close proximity to Petra city as soon as they entered the  slim,curvy Siq; its walls made up of  rough,sharp, protruding rocks,rock-cut water channels and clay pipes.Through these channels and pipes the Nabataeans used to control the flow of water in and out of the city.

2000-year-Old Clay Pipes Etched on the Cliff

Water Channels Cut against the Rock

A Platform Carved on the Cliff for the Weary

Al-Khazneh (The Treasury)

A Slight Sighting of the Treasury

A Broader Glimpse of Al-Khazneh through the Split

The Within-Reach  Treasury

Finally,Magnificent Al-Khazneh

We again went to the same place the next morning (starting point of our Petra by Night walk) and set out for a view of Al-Khazneh in battery-operated vehicles (6 persons per vehicle). The driver of our cart was very friendly and talked about India. There were camel and mule rides .Camels,donkeys and humans thronged the area. The roadside,dark,deserted sheds of the previous night were now transformed into colorful shops selling Jordanian souvenirs. The huge, shadowy mountains the night before were in reality towering rocks glowing in the afternoon light to a vivid garnet.

The Mountain-like Rocks on the Way

 The path did not seem treacherous as we struggled to maintain our balance (in the cart) on the bumpy road. When we started off the pinkish-brown rocks were a little far but as we neared the Treasury, the mountain-like rocks closed in on us until we could just view a glimpse of Al-Khazneh from a fissure in the huge rocks.

Elephant Faces Carved on the Cliff

Legends

The monument came to be known as Al-Khazneh in the early 19^th century by the local residents, the Bedouins, who believed that it contained treasures. The rumor was due to the Funerary Urn which crowned the monument.

The reason for this belief is some legends. According to one local legend this urn contained Pharaoh’s treasure and that it functioned as Pharaoh’s treasury during the time of Moses. It is said that while chasing Moses, Pharaoh and some of his soldiers escaped from the wrath of the Red Sea. The Pharaoh created the monument by magic and hid his treasures there and again set forth to pursue Moses. So it came to be known as Khaznet el-Far’oun or Treasury of the Pharaoh.

Another legend says that pirates hid their stolen wealth in the urn. The Bedouins believed such folklore and shot at the urn in the early 20^th century with the hope that the urn would break open and treasures would spill out and they would capture the wealth. But the effort was futile because the urn is built of solid sandstone. In reality, the urn represented a royal memorial. The downside of the Bedouins’ misadventure was the façade of Al-Khazneh is defaced by numerous bullet holes.

The Urn Defaced by Bullets
photo:David Bjorgen commons.wikimedia,org

Description

Petra is famous for its rock-cut architecture and the crowning glory is Al Khazneh.

In the first century AD, Petra’s population was the highest at 20,000.It was at that time that the Al-Khazneh structure was constructed. It is believed to be the Mausoleum of Nabataean King, Aretas IV. In 2007, Al Khazneh was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

The Six Columns and the Door of the Central Chamber

The monument is 39.1 meters high and 25.30 meters wide. It is a living proof of the craftsmanship of the Nabataeans and speaks volumes about their engineering prowess. They had carved the monument on the sandstone rock and embellished it with Corinthian columns which are topped with elaborate capitals, friezes and figures. The entire monument is supported by the cliff from which it was carved.Out of the six columns, the outer four are implanted in the rock while the two central columns are freestanding (not attached to a supporting background).  The Treasury consists of two floors and three chambers. The middle chamber is flanked by two antechambers on either side. Some archaeologists believed it to be a temple because archaeologists have found bowls with incense sticks and offering to Gods which suggest that it was a place of worship; while another section conjectured it to be a store house for documents.But the most recent excavation has unearthed a graveyard beneath the treasury.

A Peek at the Door of the Antechamber

Opposite to the Treasury, there was a rock mountain on which about 50 steps were carved, which enabled intrepid tourists to climb up them and reach its pinnacle. The mountains in Petra were of red sandstone and when the setting sun fell on it, they turned rosy. So Petra is called the Rose City/Rose-Red city. The rocks changes color according to the movement of the  sun. It’s indeed astounding to imagine the skillfulness of the ancient Nabataeans who carved such monuments on the pink-hued rock mountains 2000 years ago.

That the Treasury was a Mausoleum and a crypt is evident from the carvings done on the façade. These sculptures are mythological figures associated with life and death. One among them is the carving of four eagles on the top facade which signifies that they would carry away the souls of the departed.

Carving on the Frontage of Al-Khazneh
Photo:Bernard Gagnon Commons. wikimedia.org

A Chamber Just Adjacent to the Treasury

The interior of the Treasury was guarded off, preventing the visitors from entering it because the tourists had earlier defaced the interiors with graffiti. Inside the Treasury is a large chamber with a high ceiling with two smaller rooms and massive steps.

There were shops galore in the complex of Al-Khazneh, run by Bedouins who sold jewelry, magnets,lamps and the usual souvenirs. By the side of the Treasury there was a narrow lane which led to the Monastery and other thousand -year- old archaeological/historical sites.

The Slender Lane leading to More Archaeological Wonders

Due to the pandemic, Covid 19, tourism has stopped. Taking advantage of the isolation, the Jordanian government has authorized excavations in front of the Treasury because according to sources only five percent has been excavated so far and there are many more wonders still to be unearthed.

Garnet-Colored Rocks on the Way 

 Bright in the Afternoon Sun 

Rose-Red Rocks in the Setting Sun

Photographs: Bulbul Sur

Tags: Rose Red City,Petra,Treasury,Clay Pipes,Water Channels, Nabataeans 

Petra by Night

 

Al-Khazneh at Night

                                                    Petra by Night

At 7:30 p.m. we set out to see Petra by Night. We wore woolens, caps, socks because Petra was cold. We sat in the bus and set out from our hotel Seven Wonders. After a short drive we got down at the parking area which was jam-packed with tourist buses. From there we climbed down a flight of about 20 wide steps and came into the precincts of Petra Museum which led to the checking gate .The checking was detailed as in airports. Our bags went under a scanner. Then we entered the expansive courtyard of Petra Archaeological Park .On one side were facilities and on another side was an auditorium-like seating arrangement. At another end, shopkeepers were selling souvenirs of Petra, fridge magnets, shawls etc. We climbed down a flight of few steps, walked all the way (which was a short distance), until we reached the point from where the walking started. It was 8:30 p.m.

The moon was just a slim arrow .On both sides were dark mountains, looking huge and mysterious in the shadow and some had caves within them. The road was lit with candles in oilpaper-like bags. One side of the packets was tied so that it looked like rows of lighted, irregular, white stones. As we walked on the dark road we could see a portion of the lighted city of Petra on the mountain top. The crowd was stupendous and we could not see each other’s face in the dim light. The problem was I did not bring a torch. Of course there was enough space to walk and no bumping or crowding against each other in spite of the immense cluster of tourists. The road was stony and knobbly; I could just feel it because the darkness prevented me from seeing the reason behind my uneven steps. The mountains were closing in on both sides as we were advancing forward. There were some intermittent, thatched houses but they were dark and vacant. A guard cropped up here and there. Sometimes the candles burned brightly and in the faint light I could recognize my group members. There were sound of music, cheeping of birds and refreshing, relaxing reverberation of waterfall coming out from the mountains; as if somebody was hiding in the grottoes of the rocks and playing music and a spring was hidden in the dark crannies of the mountains; as if dawn was about to break and the trilling of birds was heralding its approach but then there was only darkness and silhouettes of people.

A Thousand Candles Floating Before The Treasury 

Gradually, the narrow path between the huge mountains became bumpier and I was afraid that I might fall down on the rutted path because now the pebbles seemed larger .Somehow, after walking for more than a km. we reached our destination—The Treasury or Al Khazneh, all blue because it was bathed in a blue light with innumerable candles lighted before it and surrounded by dark heads of tourists.

The Immense ,Orderly Global Populace

The  Lit Candles in Bags 

 Local musicians played mystical, soulful tunes on their flutes and other musical instruments. The music was such that it suited the atmosphere –pride at the old culture and a little sadness that it had vanished, that everything is so transitory. Two of my fellow travelers and I were at a loss. After travelling in the darkness for so long we were blinded by so much light. Some, probably volunteers, told us to sit down on the ground. When we declined they held us very tenderly, addressing us as 'Dear' and   made us sit on the patio of the Treasury. Candles were burning there too and I was sitting next to one. So I took the opportunity and inspected the candle. It was just an ordinary one ,burning ordinarily in a oilpaper-like bag but the overall impact was magical. We sat there for a short while, resting and immersing myself in the soulful music. The function ended soon enough and hordes of people accompanied us on our way back. Now that the path was known, it did not seem so dangerous when we were sure that there were no potholes and hairpin bends which would hurl us into gorges. The mountains on either side which not so long ago were echoing with the cheeps, music and cascade of water were now silent. Now we could see slim platforms along the edges of the rocks and we sat for some time. A few people lit torches to locate their partners. Small children walked along. The weather was cold at the start of the walk but while coming back we were feeling hot with our sweaters, shawls and mufflers. On the way we sat on a wide platform near a policeman. When he came to know we were from India, he asked us about Indira Gandhi.

Mysterious in a Different Shade of Blue

The way of return was again along the same path, past the museum and back to our bus for the return journey to our hotel. The walk was tiring no doubt but the experience was mesmeric. Al-Khazneh bathed in electric-blue light,framed against impenetrable darkness; more than a thousand candles twinkling on our path,as if yellow stars have descended on the earth are sights which can hardly be replicated and will not be forgotten easily.      

The Lighted Al-Khazneh against the Dark Mountain

Important Facts

The site is lit up by 1,500 candles. Two-hour tours from the Siq to the Treasury are organized every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, starting at 8:30 p.m. and ending at 22.30 p.m. The tour starts from Petra Visitor Center and delivers you back by a licensed guide to the Visitor Center. Rugs are laid out on the ground before the Treasury and visitors enjoy a 20 minute show with music. 

The Treasury in Candle Light

Photographs:supplied

Tags: Night, Petra, Al-Khazneh,Treasury, Siq, Petra Visitor Center.