Petra  (14 Slides)     [Page 1 of 1]  
   
Petra Panorama * A panoramic view of the mountains of Petra, taken from our hotel on top of the hill above town. The city of Petra is in the hills at the very right side of the photo. * 1440 x 229 * (76KB)
Riding into Petra * Jim on the trail to Petra. This first kilometer you ride by horse, then you must walk for the next kilometer to main site. Once there, you can then rent a donkey or camel to continue (or walk as we did). * 576 x 431 * (113KB)
Rock Chasm * One of the many colorful formations in the Siq, the main entrance to Petra. At the lower part of the rock is a channel, dug to carry rain water to the city. * 431 x 576 * (96KB)
The Treasury * The Treasury is the finest of the Petra carvings. It is not the largest, but certainly the most refined and detailed. This is the facade made famous in the Indiana Jones movie. * 431 x 576 * (106KB)
Colorful Siq * Another portion of the Siq, drenched in bright golds and reds. * 431 x 576 * (99KB)
  Petra Panorama  
  Riding into Petra  
  Rock Chasm  
  The Treasury  
  Colorful Siq  
Theater * The theater was built by the Nabataeans sometime in the 1st century AD. Differing sources report the seating to be between 6000 and 9000 people. * 576 x 431 * (113KB)
Al-Deir * The modern name of Al-Deir comes from the fact that the Nabataean structure was perhaps used by Christians in the Byzantine period. The path up to the site a 1000 step climb and uses the original Nabataean processional way. * 576 x 431 * (129KB)
Panoramic View above Monastery * The view looking northwest over the mountains and to the desert beyond. * 864 x 224 * (49KB)
Roman Ruins + Qasr Al-Bint Temp * The Colonnaded Street ends at the Arched Gate, probably built in the 2nd century AD, after the completion of the street, to act as a ceremonial entrance to the sacred precinct (temenos) of the Qasr Al-Bint Temple. This is the only substantial stone-built structure in Petra still standing. Constructed some time around 30 BC - 40 AD, it was built to impress. It was the most important temple of the town, dedicated to Dushara, the chief God of the Nabataeans, who later became assimilated with the more familiar Greek god of wine, Dionysus, especially important in Petra due to the custom of funerary banquets where wine would have been drunk. * 576 x 431 * (121KB)
River of Rock * Just one of the thousands of pieces of colorful rock found in the mountains of Petra. Red, yellow, purple, black and tan are all mixed to create an amazing rock that looks as fluid as a river. This rock face is now slowly being eroded by the elements. * 576 x 431 * (104KB)
  Theater  
  Al-Deir  
  Panoramic View above Monastery  
  Roman Ruins + Qasr Al-Bint Temp  
  River of Rock  
Royal Tombs Panorama * The Royal Tombs are set into the rock-face of the Jabal Al-Khubtha. These tombs, thought to be those of several Nabataean kings, are certainly amongst the most impressive of the 500 tombs to be found in Petra. The large tomb at the far left is that of Sextus Florentinus. The tomb was constructed in 130 AD, is one of the few tombs which can be accurately dated. Over the doorway a Latin inscription informs us it was constructed for Sextus, Roman Governor of the Province of Arabia by his son. * 1080 x 248 * (119KB)
Last Peek at the Treasury * Our last peek at the Treasury in the evening light. * 338 x 576 * (61KB)
The Silk Tomb * The Silk Tomb, so named because of the colors contained in the rock. * 438 x 576 * (102KB)
Tombs in Mountainside * Many remains of tombs, carved into the red rock in the center of Petra. Tombs like these cover almost all of the rock walls within Petra. * 864 x 396 * (119KB)
  Royal Tombs Panorama  
  Last Peek at the Treasury  
  The Silk Tomb  
  Tombs in Mountainside  
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