Petra: Beyond the Treasury
Passing through another, smaller, siq, we discovered an expansive world of tombs and monuments, starting with an amphitheater carved into the rock face. At one time, Petra was thought to be a necropolis, given the large number of tombs there. We were told the Nabateans lived in tents.
One of the more elaborate is the Urn Tomb, which perches majestically at the end of a long set of stairs.
Inside there are remains of ancient plaster and wall decoration.
Our guide, Ogla, who hails from Petra, claims to have 400 cousins, but he left us in the dark as to whether this young Bedouin boy we met near the Urn Tomb was one of them.
The dramatically striated rock gave rise to the name Silk Tombs.
Our next stop was the Monastery. Not as well-preserved as the Treasury, it was still imposing, and faced a large plaza with places to refresh and rest.
The ancient city center of Petra and mosaics discovered in 2003…
Coming soon: The Trek.