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Petra contains
mysteries and scenic treasures
By GRACE HOUSHOLDER
  A
three-hour drive south of Amman, in southern Jordan, is Petra,
where breathtaking architecture is carved into rose-colored sandstone
cliffs.
Accessible only through a narrow gorge, Petra was one of the
most easy to defend cities of the ancient world. Its leaders
became rich through trade, good water management and by exacting
tolls from caravans. Petra's glory days were in the century before
Christ's birth. In the second century when Rome annexed it, Petra
had about 30,000 residents.
Petra's temples, tombs, theaters and other buildings are scattered
over 400 square miles. It is not uncommon for people to spend
a week to 10 days exploring the area. But if you just have a
day - which is what we had - you can still have an unforgettable
experience.
To enter the ancient city you need to walk about a mile between
towering sandstone cliffs. If you prefer not to walk you can
ride a horse or take a two-passenger "chariot" that
is pulled by a horse. As we walked, our guide pointed out the
channels the Nabataeans had carved into the sides of the cliffs.
Modern engineers say the Nabataeans were "absolute geniuses"
at controlling rainwater to prevent flooding and to avoid shortages
in times of drought.
"The Treasury," the first facade you see as you enter
Petra, is world famous because of the Indiana Jones "The
Last Crusade" movie. Carved into the cliff, "The Treasury"
is so named because at the top of the enormous structure is a
carved, stone object that looks like an urn. According to legend,
the urn contains treasure. Chips on the inaccessible urn are
the results of unsuccessful attempts to break it with bullets
and stones.
"The Treasury" and many of the other buildings in Petra
are tombs. One of Petra's mysteries is that no bodies have ever
been found there.
Some of the tombs have colorful interiors. Splashes and swirls
of magenta, midnight blue and ocher create pictures on the walls
and ceilings that rival paintings in the finest museums. But
the "masterpieces" are solely due to the natural colors
of the sandstone.
Wandering around Petra are Bedouin children and adults, trying
to sell everything from postcards to polished stones to camel
rides. Bedouin families used to live in Petra's caves, but in
1984 the government moved them out into more modern housing.
Now Bedouins only come to hawk their wares.
Following Petra's decline a few centuries after Christ's birth,
most of its buildings were buried by sand which protected the
carvings over the centuries. Petra was rediscovered in 1812.
Now, without the protection of the sand and because of the growing
number of tourists, there are concerns about how to best preserve
the area for future generations.
As we trudged back to our hotel through the gorge we saw a large
cloud of sand ahead. We stopped, hoping to avoid it, but, as
we covered our faces, it enveloped us.
It was easy to see how over the centuries mountains of sand had
swept into Petra to hide and protect it.
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