Jabal al Ḩammah

You Indiana Jones fans recognize this building. For those of you who are not fans, this is the so called Treasury at Petra that was featured in the Last Crusade. Most archaeologists these days think this is a tomb, most likely royal. But whatever it was, this building hewn out of the rock face is the only possible picture to headline a post about Petra. And it is another of those places that is far more impressive in person than in a book or on a screen.
Petra is a significant archaeological site with human habitation evident to at least 7,000 BCE. What we see dates to the Nabataeans who made this place their capital. It is highly defensible; has reliable water and is in a great location astride one of the main caravan routes of antiquity. All making this a good guy profitable place.
The 2nd picture looks down the main street towards the rest of town from near the Treasury. The 3rd picture is more rock carving of tombs, probably royal or noble.
Petra was highly cosmopolitan. You can find traces of many ancient cultures here. As an example, the tomb carving in the 4th picture has an Assyrian motif.
The 5th picture is of the Nabataeans' theater. This was remodeled by the Romans. I bet you thought Sky Boxes were a modern invention.
The last picture is at the far end of the main street looking towards the sacred quarter where one of the temples of the Nabataeans remains standing and is visible through the gate. There are ruins of a Roman temple to the left.Читать далее