Day 264: Petra (ٱلْبَتْرَاء)

Dec 23 - Today is full day tour to and back from Petra. It is a city, carved almost entirely form the cliff walls west of the town of Wadi Musa. The name ‘Petra’ is not the original one, but given to it by the Greeks and means ‘rock’. The Nabatean name for it was Raqmu (’colored stone’), so one could say the Greeks just translated it. Since standard Arabic has no letter for ‘p’, the Arabic form shown above uses a ‘b’.

The highlands west of Petra are quite stark and empty this time of year. So many rocks! These are plowed fields, some with irrigation pipes scattered across them. We drove past a wind farm of large, modern wind towers, and a large sign proclaiming they were the product of the China Three Gorges Corporation.

On the King’s Highway, which is the road to Petra that branches from the main north-south highway, I saw much evidence of burned tires across the road. All cleared up now but obviously there were efforts to block it recently. Immediately recognizable from other places where I’ve seen protests that target transport corridors as a means to frustrate the government. Later I go online and see the following, from Aljazeera reported on December 22:

The outbreak of protests and strikes in Jordan, and some cases of accompanying violence have shed light on the worsening economic situation in the country.

Protests against a rise in fuel prices have waned in intensity, but have not yet died out, still occurring sporadically in Jordan’s southern governorates — the epicentre of the recent anti-government events.

and…

Truck and public transport drivers began striking two weeks ago. Some of the protests have flared into riots, which have spread throughout the kingdom, reaching the capital Amman over the weekend. Public property was set alight, state buildings vandalised, and main highways closed because of tyres that were set on fire.

Its interesting to me that besides this article, and the physical evidence of burned tires, I would have little reason to note the turmoil created by rising fuel prices. I have seen a number of armored military vehicles on the highways, but no more than what we saw constantly in Egypt or southeastern Türkiye. Also, the police checkpoints here are few and cursory. It is also notable that AlJazeera news is not blocked here, as it is in Egypt.

So, now stepping back to ancient history…

Petra was the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom, at the time it became of great importance to Rome. It is thought that the Nabataeans originated somewhere in northern Arabia, and came to dominate the region between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. They are noted as being active in cross-Arabian trade from the first millennium BCE, but Petra only becomes important after 400 BCE. Living in a mountainous, desert environment, they had to make very efficient use of water sources, and became adept at carving their homes from sandstone bedrock.

They probably would not have created cities like Petra had it not been for their fortuitous location between the Mediterranean and eastern Arabia, which made them brokers for a great deal of trade (there was no Suez Canal to bypass them in those centuries). One of the biggest commodities in the Arabian Peninsula at the time was frankincense. This is the same stuff mentioned in the Old Testament, as a gift brought to the infant Jesus by one of the ‘Three Kings’*. Frankincense is the sap from a type of acacia tree, and harvested only in Yemen. It was hugely important in the ancient world as incense, featuring in many religious rituals across the ancient world, notably in the Roman Empire. The Nabataeans found themselves the exclusive conduit of this material between Yemen and Rome, and made a lot of money off of it.

Eventually Rome (in 106 CE) decided to eliminate this activity and make a deal with the Nabataeans. Rather than invading, they annexed the Kingdom without a fight, gave Nabataean nobility Roman citizenship, and allowed them continued monopolies for some of their eastern trade routes. Eventually, however, trade began flowing around Nabataea, and the kingdom faded away.

*The standard Christmas story about the Three Kings coming to Bethlehem is an invention of later tradition. The real Biblical account (Matthew 2:1-2) says only they were ‘magi from the east’ and does not say how many there were, nor that they were kings.

Today’ route: (A) Aqaba, (B) Petra.

The friendly entrance sign to the archaeological park.

There they are, still fresh and unaware of the death march ahead.

The Petra walking tour is a real hike. From the entrance to the last major point of interest (The Monastery), it is 4 km, so 8 km round trip. At least it is cool. Today it is about 9 degrees C, with dark clouds drifting overhead.

One of the odd cubes that are near the entrance. They are called the Djinn Blocks.

The Obelisk Tomb. The four pyramidal structures on the top are called nafesh. This was a tomb for five people. The bottom part with the large doorway is a banqueting hall. According to an inscription nearby, this was the resting place for one Abdomanchos and his family, probably during the time of King Malichus II (r. 40-70 CE).

The Siq, a narrow gorge that connects the eastern entrance with the city itself.

The Siq is full of these interesting little bits, like this detailed false door.

They have paved the surface of the Siq, which I’m sure has helped a lot with dust. There was a huge number of tourists here today.

The classic spot in Petra, where the narrow Siq opens into the area with Al-Khazna (the Treasury).

Al-Khazna. Its probably better that you can no longer go inside, with the number of tourists visiting these days. It is 40 meters high, with detailed Corinthian columns, and though to have been carved in the 1st century BCE. There is no agreement on what purpose it actually served.

East of Al-Khazna, the valley opens up and a multitude of structures appear. The souvenir shops also multiply, along with the donkey and horse taxis. I noted the presence of pottery shards and ancient coins (mostly fake) for sale. This is rather strange to see, as one would think that sale of archaeological finds is prohibited.

The larger structures in this photo are called, from left to right: Palace Tomb, Corinthian Tomb, Silk Tomb, and Urn Tomb.

There is no end to the great sandstone bedding here, and the color.

A view east across the valley.

The amphitheater. This was a much smaller structure initially, but when the Romans arrived they expanded it into the size it is today (seats about 8,000). Nearly all of it is carved from the bedrock.

The Great Temple, excavated in 1992-93. It is thought to have been constructed in the 1st century CE, when the Nabataean style had fully merged with architectural elements of the Romans.

Some of the floral friezes at the Great Temple.

The Qasr Al-Bint, built in the 1st century CE. It was a temple dedicated to the god Dushara. He was one of the principal gods of the Nabataeans, and son of Al-Lat.

The long canyon up toward the Monastery, with many steps. It has become sort of a trial by fire here, as the surfaces are covered with dung and the donkey taxis charge through every so often.

Ad-Deir, at the end of the main tourist road. This structure served some religious purpose, and has a large room at the base called a biclinium, used as a meeting place for ritual. It was constructed in the 2nd century CE under King Rabel II. Later, it was converted into a Christian chapel and crosses were carved into the inner walls (it is not permitted to enter now).

From here it is a long hike back out, and into town for an expensive (10 JD) but good buffet lunch. Then the long road back to Aqaba, arriving after dark. It has become decidedly colder since a few days ago.

Jordan