Rome to Turkey: Day Twelve: Petra

"Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy hill?

- Psalm 14:1

I spent most of the night violently sick off and on for several hours. I woke feeling still nauseous but somewhat more stable. I went for a walk early before breakfast to see if I could find a pharmacy. There were not too many shops open and I almost gave up before finding a small grocery store. I did my best to signal that I required something to ease my stomach, though in hindsight I realized they interpreted it as intending to vomit, and was talked into a bottle of mysterious "oil."

As we boarded the bus I showed my bottle of oil to Robbie who shook his head at me and directed the driver to stop by a pharmacy on the way out of town. I should have know I bought the wrong product as the young Bedouin boy who assisted the shopkeeper was trying very hard not to laugh. At the pharmacy, I was given two separate boxes of medication, which after reading the confusing descriptions and information, I decided to hold off using.

I had taken two buns and a piece of cheese from breakfast with me onto the bus to eat later. I had decided it was food poisoning, but could not figure out where I had contacted it from. The fact that the rest of our group was fine had a distinct air of irony, as they were far less cautious than I was when choosing food from the buffet the evening before. Perhaps this was a lesson about trust.

We were on our way to Petra, the ancient Nabatean city carved from rock that dates back to the 6th century. (1) Know famously as a location in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the city was forgotten about by the western world until 1812 when it was re-discovered by a Swiss explorer who disguised himself as a Muslim pilgrim in order to be led to the lost city. (2)

The entrance to the city is through a narrow gorge, which can be accessed on foot, by horse, or horse-drawn carts. The gorge was fairly deep, taking twists and turns as it gently slopes downhill past amazing colour variations and layers in the rock. Along the bottom of the steep walls were water channels inlaid with ceramic that would have transported water into the city. Carved images on the walls were barely visible, the soft sandstone being eroded over time. As you round the last bend in the road, you are greeted with a breathtaking view of the Nabatean treasury towering in front of you, peering out from between the narrow walls of the gorge.

Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage site, located in a valley on the slope of the Biblical Mt. Hor (see Num 33:37.) (3) In an area originally occupied by the Horites and Edomites, the city became the capital of the Nabateans who accumulated wealth largely through controlling the main trade routes that passed though their land. Attacked unsuccessfully many times, it eventually came under power of the Romans, and incorporates much Roman and Greek influence in architecture. Petra is also know in Arab tradition to be the place where Moses struck the rock with his staff to produce water for the Israelites, and Mt Hor is held to be the mountain where Moses' brother Aaron is buried. Christianity was brought to the city in the 4th century, (1) and it was occupied by Crusaders from about the 11th to the 12th century. (1), ( 4)

The Treasury sits in a semi-circular open area that also contains hundreds of other elaborately decorated facades carved out from the rock. Further to our left, as the road widens into a larger basin, a Roman styled Amphitheater can be seen. The Treasury is visually the most dominating of the structures, well preserved, and draws the most attention from tourists. It was created for the ritual preparations that would accompany the burial of the dead. Most of the other facades were created as tombs, though erosion has removed much of their detailing. Unfortunately, many of the habitations were destroyed by earthquakes, apparently not built as sound as the tombs that were meant to last through the afterlife.(5) Walking down the wide dirt road from this area, you move into a wider section of the basin, eventually passing a number of Roman ruins that were under excavation. From here you have a great view of what the city would have looked like, and just how large its centre would have been.

Our group stopped for a quick lunch (I just had a couple pieces of potato and some bread) before deciding to walk the 45 minutes to an upper area that housed the Al-Deir Monastery. The trail was narrow and steep, which included climbing 800 rock-cut stairs, but gave great views into the surrounding valleys far below.(5) We had to occasionally step aside for donkeys carrying tourists up and down the path. Along the way there are local Bedouins with small tables selling all kinds of jewelery and other ware. As you exit the narrow path at the top, you come out into another open hilly area, where the Monastery is situated directly to your right.

It's name is somewhat inaccurate, as in Nabatean times it was likely a temple or a tomb facade. The name Monastery may derive from crosses inscribed on the walls inside, and according to our guide, it was later used by Christians during the Byzantine era. It is larger than the Treasury, measuring 50 m wide by 45 m high and like the Treasury, contains one main chamber cut from the rock. (5), (6)

The area surrounding the Monastery was completely open to the sun. It was late afternoon and I was moving very slowly through the sweltering heat. At various elevations above the Monastery were look out points that gave incredible views of the mountain ranges that stretched long distances to other ranges beyond, or to dry rolling hills or flat valleys that were barely visible through the haze. After meandering around for a while, I found a road that led around the right side of the mountain. I followed its twists and turns for a considerable distance as it led away from the main tourist site. In the hillsides some distance away I was surprised to see even more ruins, proving just how sprawling the ancient city would have been (upwards of 30,000 people as of the 1st century B.C.) (6)

Eventually meeting up again, our small group headed back down to the main part of the city, taking time to explore more tomb structures and ancient roman ruins. There was almost too much to see, and soon it was time to meet at our arranged location. I was thankful to be out of the heat temporarily as we climbed the dark path that led through the narrow gorge back to the parking lot.

It was a tiring but enjoyable day. I had a slight burn on my neck and my stomach was still unsettled. I went for a swim in the hotel pool which was freezing cold but very refreshing. It looked as if no one had used it in a long time but I wasn't so concerned about that at the time. After a small dinner I sat on the outdoor patio while the evening calls to prayer were being broadcast over a loudspeaker. Later I checked my email, using up the rest of the internet time I had bought.

"Preserve me O Lord, for I have put my trust in thee. I have said to the Lord, thou art my God, for thou hast no need of my goods."

- Psalm 15:1-2