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Secret city of stone
There is no rugged archaeologist with a brown hat and a whip, accompanied by a lovely maiden and chased by hordes of post-war Nazis. There are no special effects either, but when you walk through the canyon and out into the sunlight, to be greeted by the stunning sight of Al Khazneh (The Treasury), in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra, you could be forgiven for thinking you were on the scene of an elaborate Hollywood blockbuster.
City of red rock - a natural treasure [Credit: Independent Newspapers]
Our trip to Petra had taken us from the shores of Egypt through the wildly beautiful and haunting Wadi Rum, along the King’s Highway and to this point in Jordan, which would become the climax of our amazing trip.
Driving into Petra was notable for its contrasting mix of modern and ancient scenery. As we got closer to the site of the lost city the biggest drawback, as is the case with all tourist attractions, became increasingly obvious – it is one huge tourist attraction.
If one was able to go to a place like this alone the experience would be tenfold.
Unfortunately, though, there is more chance of Indiana Jones taking you on a guided tour than that happening. This is, I guess, just a selfish observation.
However, their presence is a catch 22 situation. While on the one hand tourist spend helps to preserve this special place, on the other their sheer volume is also a threat to its preservation.
The Siq (the shaft), a vast sandstone valley that was easily defended in ancient times [Credit: Independent Newspapers]
Since an increase in media coverage in 2007, tourism levels to the lost city have increased to an almost unsustainable level, forcing authorities to introduce a degree of control.
Saying that, however, it is such a vast and spread-out site that we were never really engulfed by crowds and there were moments when we seemed almost alone – and that’s when we were really able to appreciate this majestic sandstone city.
The road into Petra wends its way through an array of Indiana Jones-adorned stalls leading down to a rocky pathway. Our tour group was given the chance to ride on horseback down the path towards the canyon. As the pathway winds down through the rocky outcrops, visitors can see evidence of the Nabataeans’ innovative ways of controlling water into the city through the use of holes and conduits carved into the rock.
The pathway also becomes increasingly narrow, which made for a perfect defensive system to keep ancient invaders out.
A guard stands in front of Al Khazneh, or The Treasury [Credit: Independent Newspapers]
When our horses stopped at the canyon entrance, the exciting part of the journey began. The path led steeply down to a visible crack in the sandstone and then suddenly we were inside the canyon called The Siq (the shaft), a vast sandstone valley.
The geological split in this sandstone created a natural waterway, which the Nabataeans were able to access. Consequently, they prospered.
The sandstone walls are naturally coloured in reds and brown whorls. The floor of the canyon is sand and the walls are steep and inaccessible. This was easily defended in ancient times, as our guide pointed out.
The defenders were able to place themselves at the top of the gorge and rain rocks and arrows down upon any attackers. At times, the gorge was dark and then the sunlight baked through, creating an eerie and exciting journey through the sandstone crevasse.
While winding our way between the cliff walls, which rise dramatically to 80m, we passed remains of the waterways and conduits running along the walls of the canyon, as well as inscriptions in ancient languages.
Suddenly we were at the end of the canyon and nothing could have prepared us for this moment as we stumbled out into the courtyard in front of Petra’s most famous and elaborate ruin – Al Khazneh or The Treasury.
As you near the end of the gorge, you catch a glimpse of this well documented and majestic ancient wonder and then, before you are able to catch your breath, you are standing beneath it, bathed in bright sunlight.
This was only the beginning of our magical journey as we still had a whole city to explore. Making our way through the gorge surrounded by camels, you could easily imagine yourself in ancient times surrounded by those very camels and their masters.
It was only when we turned a corner that we were able to fully grasp how massive this ancient city is, as we gazed out across an immense valley.
The colours in the sandstone at Petra range from pale pink to salmon and deep red [Credit: Independent Newspapers]
It is hard to believe this was hidden from view while we were looking down upon it, high up in the mountains. Petra is indeed a hidden city. We were shown into a temple carved into the sandstone, which had no need for paint or decorations such was the brilliance of the natural colours of the sandstone. From the temple we were able to look down on to the amphitheatre surrounded by caverns. These caverns are everywhere in the rocky cliff faces in this part of the city. Later our guide explained that these were in fact burial chambers.
We rejoined the road, which was still partly paved, and followed it as it wound its way down the valley to the base of the mountains on the other side. The valley is where the people actually lived in the past times in both homes and tents.
After a bite to eat and much-needed liquid refreshment, we began a hike up into the rocky outcrops above us. Following an ancient staircase carved into the rock, we climbed higher.
Finally at the top, hundreds of metres above the valley floor, we were to gaze upon another majestic site – El Deir (The Monastery).
Although not quite as spectacular as The Treasury, it is another ornate building carved out of the mountain it is perched upon. Across from The Monastery is a spot with a fantastic view overlooking the Holy Land. This must once have been an impenetrable city.
We made our way back to the valley floor. At the bottom, we were offered a Jordanian luxury – a camel ride back to the gorge, which we all accepted willingly.
It may sound a bit clichéd, but it really added a genuine touch to the day, being transported as the ancients once were, through this marvellous city of red rock.
We got dropped off at The Treasury and after one more wondrous gaze upon this magnificent sight, we made our way back through the canyon and back to reality.
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