Picture the scene – Indiana Jones has discovered the highly
treasured Holy Grail, only to lose it again in a twist of fate. With the ancient
temple collapsing around him, Jones can be seen escaping as a plume of smoke envelops
the entrance. He then jumps astride his trusty horse, and rides off into the distance
as the credits roll. Back in 1989 when this movie was released, the exotic
location of this desert temple was unbeknownst to many, whereas now it is
practically a household name. While Indiana Jones has undoubtedly brought considerable
recognition to this foreign locale, Petra is now one of the world’s most famous
and spectacular archaeological sites, even earning a place amongst the New
Seven Wonders of the World. And it is into this movie scene that I was able to
spend a couple days extensively wandering through on a trip to Jordan several
years ago.
Donning my wide-brimmed Tilley hat that vaguely resembles
a knock-off of Indiana Jones’ fedora, I lathered on my 100+ SPF sunscreen and
stepped through the turnstile to enter the Petra Archaeological Park. One could
be forgiven for thinking that the wonders of Petra would be just on the other side
of the turnstile, but nothing could be further from the truth. Upon exiting the
visitor center, there is a one kilometer stretch of unpaved road to traverse in
the blazing sun, with precious little to see along this unshaded route. At the
end of this tiring portion of the walk, the entrance to the siq looms
mysteriously ahead. The siq is a narrow canyon with high walls created by
a geological fault split apart by tectonic forces many eons ago. Entering this
gaping crack in the wall, I am explicitly aware of the sensation of passing through
a portal into a different dimension. The rough surfaces of the canyon have become
smooth over the centuries from water erosion, as far-fetched as that sounds out
here in the dry desert. Following the winding path for over another kilometer, I
am shaded from the heat of intense sun and able to marvel at the beauty of
nature’s creation. Every few minutes, the sound of hoofbeats can be heard echoing
through the ravine, warning of an approaching horse-drawn buggy laden with
weary passengers wishing to bypass the grueling walk.
Horse-drawn buggies passing through the narrow siq
After countless dizzying twists and bends through the dramatic
canyon, there is a heightened sense of anticipation as the end approaches. There
in the distance, just barely seen through a crack in the walls, the traces of a
manmade structure begin to emerge. Gradually the faint mirage begins to take shape,
as more of the edifice becomes visible through the lens of the canyon walls. At
last the path through the siq abruptly ends and the walls fall away, opening
up to a massive fantastical building looming overhead. Carved directly into the
sandstone cliff walls is the columned façade of a Greco-Roman style building
called Al-Khazneh (The Treasury), built by the Nabataeans over 2000 years ago. Unfazed
by the gawping visitors, several camels are calmly resting on the sand in front
of this building, completely oblivious to the carved wonder that they are
sitting beside. Despite what the movies would have you believe, there is no
vast temple complex within the structure; on the contrary, there is just a
single empty room that is believed to have been the mausoleum of a Nabataean
king. While there may not be a Holy Grail hidden within The Treasury, the real
treasure to be found is this beautiful and vast archaeological complex that I have
just set foot within.
The Treasury is becoming visible through the siq
Admiring The Treasury
Having finished marveling at the Treasury, I turned to
the right and continued to follow the dusty path. The sandstone has a
pinkish-orange hue, giving Petra the nickname The Rose City because of the countless
structures carved into this colorful rockface. Gradually, more of the buildings
become visible, indicating that this used to be a significant trading city many
centuries ago. Most of the structures are a simple rectangular shape with few
identifying features aside from a strip of geometrical designs across the top
of each building. Venturing into several of these, I notice that they are virtually
all just a single room with an occasional niche or two carved into the walls.
While there are few identifiable features of individual past lives, I try to envision
life back in the day, living amidst this bustling metropolis of a major trading
city along the Silk Road.
Numerous rock hewn buildings within Petra
Continuing further along the road gives me a better
understanding of the daily lives the ancient Nabataeans led. The main thoroughfare
within this ancient city is an additional two kilometers, along which many
fascinating ruins can be found. There is a Roman amphitheater where large
crowds gathered for entertainment, and a long stretch of colonnaded road that
still remains from when the Romans expanded their empire and engulfed what is modern
day Jordan. A Byzantine Church houses an impressively preserved collection of
decorative tile mosaics along the excavated floors, indicating the role that
religious worship played in the lives of these inhabitants. And the remains of
the largest structure in Petra – the Great Temple – is a multi-level complex
that covers a vast swathe of land where the administrative officials likely
gathered to rule this city. But the true highlight of Petra’s wonders lies even
beyond all of these structures and requires considerable determination to
reach.
A local Bedouin surveying the vast expanse of Petra (and the mountain in the distance upon which The Monastery is located)
Some more of the rock dwellings within Petra
The remains of a Roman colonnade
Upon reaching the end of the desert trail, I began the
final segment of my journey. Standing between me and victory lay a steep and
windy uphill climb consisting of over 800 rugged steps to scale. There were two
options available to proceed -- an arduous climb up the side of the mountain by
foot, or seated astride a cantankerous donkey for the cost of a few paltry dinars.
So of course, I chose the donkey, knowing that I could ascend this insurmountable
obstacle and reach my destination in style, just like Indiana Jones did! This
poor beast of burden had the unenviable task of carrying me up the mountain like
a hefty sack of potatoes. No sooner had I mounted my noble steed, when he
lurched forward and began to lumber away from the group, eager to proceed. Upon
being rounded back up, my steed rejoined the small caravan of donkeys which trudged
forward, beginning the ascent up the steps. What the guide failed to mention at
the outset of the journey was that I would be trusting my life to the unsure footing
of this ornery beast while he stumbled up the treacherous steps. Every time we
overtook a pedestrian on the path, the donkey edged around the hiker, getting
dangerously close to the precipitous cliff edge. One misstep and I would go
from merely dangling over the edge to tumbling down to my certain death. I suddenly
became a backseat driver, critiquing each step that the donkey took and judging
each unbalanced stumble while looking for better footing. But of course, he
couldn’t understand my pleas as he plodded forward, unconcerned for my
wellbeing.
Beginning the ascent up the mountainside via donkey
After many near death experiences where I saw my
all-too-short life flash before my eyes, my donkey finally rounded the last
bend in the path and clambered up the last stretch of the trail with a little
extra pep in his step, knowing that he would soon get to relax and receive a
special treat to munch on. And just like in the movies, the dramatic finale
music crescendoed to a heart-pounding climax as the prized object came into
view at long last. Rising from the desert sands was the monumental Ad Deir (The
Monastery) building, one of the finest examples of rock-carved temples within
the entire archaeological site. For here was the true holy grail within Petra –
a beautiful temple that was built in the first century AD for religious
ceremonies, and remains in remarkable condition even today. Scarcely anyone had
traversed the arduous path and made it to the summit upon which I stood, allowing
me to feel like I was a lone wanderer who conquered the desert’s dangers and
succeeded against all odds at discovering a lost treasure forgotten by history.
I proudly stood in front of the Monastery and admired the massive structure and
the amount of skill that it must have taken an ancient civilization to build, fully
understanding the indisputable ranking that Petra holds as one of the New Seven
Wonders of the World. Upon awakening from my reverie, I slowly came to my
senses and realized that as exhausted as I was, I was only halfway through my
journey – for I now had to retrace every step through the miles of barren
desert on my path to exit the site. And away I plodded into the distance,
acutely aware of my aching feet and tired muscles, but not wanting to trade
this experience for anything.
End scene and cue the credits.
The Monastery
Spectacular view of The Monastery
The lone explorer in front of The Monastery
