TIME STOOD STILL
My journey into Petra began with a walk through the entrance to Petra, a long and winding 1.2 km sandstone canyon known as the Siq. For some visitors, a horse ride or carriage is optional which begins 1km away from the Siq. While the Siq led to the first of many breathtaking sights in Petra, walking through it is as amazing for the dazzling rock formations and massive faÁade carved out of sheer, dusky pink rocks. As explained by my skinny yet muscular guide (who spoke English in mere regurgitating mode and spewed out random jokes we were obliged to laugh at), the Siq is not exactly a canyon but is in fact a single stone block that has been halved by tectonic forces. Minor carvings are spotted along the Siq – a weathered carving of a camel and a caravan man and religious idols to name a few – evidence of the Nabateans’ artistic and religious manners.
At the end of the Siq is the infamous Treasury of Petra, a sight that has become significant with the ancient city. Just watching it appear from the end corners of the Siq is an amazing experience itself as beauty slowly unfolds before you know it. It is here where visitors fall in love with Petra and think to themselves how they must have arrived on a paradise on Earth. Only one word can be used to describe the Treasury – outstanding. I could hardly take my eyes off the gargantuan building, made even more amazing by the fact that it was carved completely out of the stones and rock formation by the Nabateans perhaps way back to 100 BC.
Here, every visitor finds himself or herself standing still with time. As a whole, the Treasury, which was thought to be chiselled out to serve as a tomb for the Nabatean king Aretas III, is truly a sight to beckon with. But as you pay more attention to it, each individual detail begins to mesmerise you. Perhaps taking over 25 years to build from bottom up out of nothing but primitive tools, the Treasury stands tall at 43 metres high and 30 metres wide. It is a mass of architecture details – six columns at ground level, a triangular pediment, carved figurines alongside horses on the ground level, winged Victorians and more figurines. The history and ingenuity that is associated with it makes it one of the most amazing sights anyone can ever feast their eyes upon.
Only five percent excavated, it is astounding that Petra still has many more unexplored sights as I stumbled on one after another. Towards the centre of the city lie over 40 tombs and houses built by the Nabateans, reminding us that the ancient city used to be a bustling city centre in ancient Jordan. Empty and haunting, these rock-cut tombs with their dark openings were carved to last throughout the afterlife. Looking into one, I couldn’t help but feel a chill going down my spine, as I wondered if the tombs, some extremely tight in spaces, were indeed truly uninhabited.
Another breathtaking site that awaited my journey in Petra is the Theatre. Built entirely out of rocks, the Theatre is a massive Roman-style theatre, which at one time, seated up to 3,000 people. The rectangular seats are still visible today, silent reminders of a once
great civilization.
From here is where Petra truly showcases its massive space. While it is advisable to follow the path and the crowd to make sure you don’t miss out other interesting sights, the more adventurous also have the choice of taking off the beaten paths to seek their own unexplored sites. However, be wary that you don’t wander off too far as making your way back to the tracks can be quite confusing (as you are enclosed by mountains of red-rose rocks) and not to mention, extremely exhausting (as I experienced after trying to play pretend archaeologist in Petra). But not to worry – there are plenty of ‘rides’ waiting for you in Petra – that is if you don’t mind sitting on an unpleasantly smelling donkey named Michael Jackson, like I did, to reach other spots in Petra.
I have always been a fan of saving the best of last and in Petra, this proved to be truly rewarding. The last and final site for most in the ancient city can only be reached after a long and tiring trek of over 800 rock cut steps – the impressive Al-Deir Monastery. Much like the Treasury, the Al-Deir Monastery is far bigger standing at 45 metres high and 50 metres wide. All exhaustion is long forgotten the minute you set your eyes on this incredible building, which seemed almost surreal to the human eye. Served as a Nabatean tomb, which was carved in 3rd century BC, the Al-Deir Monastery is indeed the very point in which you feel you have arrived at a true wonder of the world.
