Petra - Thursday May 28, 2008

From our hotel in Wadi Mousa we get on the bus and head for a day at Petra. It’s not a long drive, so Kim has to be economical with time and leads us by reading Matthew 6:31-34, an encouragement for all of us for every day. He highlights Verse 33 as a good one to memorize and take to our heart: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

The site of Petra is classified as the second wonder of the world, after the Pyramids. It was part of the Indiana Jones movie and that sparked more tourism interest. Discovered in 1812 by “modern” Europeans, we now we will see it in the daylight. On the way down to the Treasury building, we pass many tombs, some plain, some with decoration. In Nabatean times, tombs were left open and the dead were celebrated. Some of the tombs had obelisks, showing Egyptian influence. Apparently the Nabateans believed in an afterlife and these tombs were part of that preparation.

Parts of the canyon were chiseled out by hand to make a passage – called a “siq” (Editor’s note: there’s a good Scrabble word, if you can get away with it). In the passage, the Nabateans made water channels to carry it to cisterns. As well, they laid clay tiles to carry water to where it was needed. At the main entrance, an arch used to go across, but it collapsed in 1886. As we look up we can see the chisel marks from 2,000 years ago. There are recessed areas to honour the gods of their day and some of the places would have been quite elaborate with inscriptions and marble facades.

The “Treasury” is actually a tomb for one of the Nabatean kings. The Bedouins, who controlled the area for a long time prior to European interest thought there must be gold or treasure hidden and they made a bit of a mess looking for things. Nonetheless, you can’t help but be amazed at these “structures”, carved and chiseled out of red sandstone. The area is vast.

Other parts of Petra include many impressive tombs, an amphitheater and the place where up to 40,000 people may have lived.

The pool back at the hotel was refreshing indeed after a long dusty walk into Petra and out again in high temperature and hot sun.