Page 37 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Israel & Petra

The Siq, Petra ❮❮ 35

THE NABATAEANS
An ancient Arabian
tribespeople, the
nomadic Nabataeans
(3rd century BC–1st
century AD) came to
control crucial desert
trade routes from Arabia
to Mesopotamia. Key to
their success was their
Djinn Blocks
5 efficient water storage.
Cisterns hidden between
Local Arab folklore says that these 26 carved
stone blocks dotted around the site (above) housed oases they controlled
allowed them to cross
djinns (spirits), but they are probably tower tombs. the arid wilderness.
View of the
6 Trade brought wealth,
and their capital, Petra,
Treasury
became a center of
As the Siq winds down cultural exchange.
to its darkest, narrowest
point, a gap in the sand-
stone gorge suddenly
unveils the rose-pink
glow of the Treasury
(left). This first view is an
awe-inspiring moment.
Nabataean
7
Graffiti
Carved into the walls
of the Siq, graffiti and
inscriptions demonstrate
the Nabataeans' literacy.
Names and greetings
in Latin, Greek, and
Aramaic reveal their
cosmopolitan society.
Niche
Entrance to
8 9
the Siq
Monument
A monumental arch once This shrine is carved
spanned the entrance to from a freestanding rock
the Siq. It collapsed in (above). The central
1896, leaving only the niche, bordered by col-
remains of the sup- umns and a frieze, holds
porting structure and two Djinn blocks, one
pilas ters carved into the with eyes and a nose.
rock face, best seen on
Bab al-Siq
the south side. 0
Triclinium
The Siq, Petra WADI On the south face of Bab
MUSA al-Siq, this tomb exhibits
the Nabataean Classical
1
style. Like many tombs
5 in Petra, it served as a
Wadi M usa
dining chamber and was
used to host feasts in
6 2 9 4 8 0 3 honor of the dead.
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