Petra, Jordan

[paroch]

During my recent holiday on Egypt's Red Sea coast, we took a day trip to Petra in Jordan.

It was an amazing place.  2,000 years old and it had been lost to mankind for 1,000 years until 1812, when rediscovered.  It's hidden amongst the Petra mountains and so cannot be seen until you are inside the gorge.

1. Me and the kids with the Petra Mountains behind us:


2. Walking through "As-Siq", the gorge like entrance to Petra.  This is the only way in, and out:


3. Coming toward the end of As-Siq with the first glimpse of Al-Khazneh:


4. Al-Khazneh in all it's glory.  This is actually carved into the side of the mountain, it is not a free-standing building.  Can you imagine that being done over 2,000 years ago:


5. The canyon that Al-Khazneh sits in.  You can see the exit via As-Siq towards the left of the pic, where the three people with backpacks are headed:


6. The Ampitheatre.  Started by the Nabataeans, who carved into the mountain and finished by the Romans who built the rest as a free-standing structure:


7. The "Street of Facades".  Each one is a tomb, carved into the mountain:


8. And finally, more tombs carved into the mountain.  These were for the Royal Families and High Priests of the Nabataeans:


If ever you get the chance to go, I highly recommend it.

Hope you enjoyed some ancient history.

Paul

[TheTeaCat]

Wonderful Pics Paul
Thanks for sharing.

Carved into solid rock over 2000 years ago,
its incredible what the ancient civilisations were able to achieve


TTC

[Jmouse]

Awesome photos, Paul. Glad to know what the sites are called, and glad you decided to share them with the community.

Joan

[Rayden]

Very nice photos. You really tempted me to visit that place with my daughter, one of these days.

[sebes]

Great photo's of a truly amazing place Paul! Thanks for showing here.

[Pat]

Paul just amazing pics there!!! WOW I cant belive they carved more or less buildings out of the rock face that is something else...  For some reason I cant see pics 4 & 5 siiiiigh....

[callbat]

Wow, looks like you had an excellent holiday. Splendid choice of destination. Petra looks to be a great ancient engineering marvel.

Excellent pictures 

[Ennedi]

Beautiful pictures Paul! I have seen some photos from this place earlier, but first time can I see how monumental are these rocks and facades.
I suppose this is a specific kind of rock, enough soft to make sculpting relatively easy and enough durable to stay 2000 years in very good state. Did you hear about any renovation works at this place, I have heard some time ago about problems with renovation (mainly financial, Jordan is not a stable and quiet country, it would be very bad if all these amazing sculptings would be damaged).

[paroch]

Hi all, 

Thanks for taking the time to look and comment on these pics.  To answer some of your points and questions.......


- Yes it is amazing to think that ancient civilisations could create such marvels.
- I kept an information sheet to remind me of the names!
- Because of its location you can visit Petra from a holiday in Israel, Egypt or Jordan.
- I hope you can see pic 4 now - that's the BEST ONE!
- The mountains are sandstone.  As you say, soft enough to carve, hard enough to last.  The weathering of the rock in As-Siq shows just how the rock ages.  The guide told us that all other mountains in Jordan are granite and therefore would not be suitable.
- There was reonvation work going on at the site.  They are making new discoveries every day.  The site covers 46km sq.  But Jordan is a very stable country in the Middle East.  Tourism is becoming a major income for them, so I do not think they'd let it fall into disrepair.  Ironically much damage was done just after the initial discovery.  In pic 4, people had shot parts of the facade, thinking that there was gold and treasure stored inside.

Hope these comments help.

Paul

[Pat]

Paul pics 4 an 5 are working and WOW talk about stunning!!!  I just cant belive to this date they are still making new discoveries here!!!

[Vandy]

Hello, Paul.

Welcome to "The Artist's Corner" and to the "Memories Frozen In Time" thread.  It is always a pleasure to make the acquaintence of a new poster.

You certainly have had a wonderful vacation -- or, holiday.  I can only imagine how wonderfully awesome it must have been to visit Petra.  I can only imagine it in my dreams and, now, in your pictures.

You've a very nice-looking son and daughter.  How fortunate they were to be able to go with you!

As a history buff, I must say that I have absolutely REVELLED in thse equisitely beautiful pictures.  You've certainly made Petra come alive through them.

Thank you, Paul, for sharing this wonderful vacation memory with us.  I very much appreciate it.

Regards,

Gary (Vandy)