Latest Posts — Sarah Clews Photography

It was the middle of the day by the time we reached the centre of Petra, and the sun was beating down hard on our heads- it was only February. I cannot begin to imagine how hot it must be here in the Summer..unbearable.

We passed lots of little huddles of donkeys- tourists pay to ride them up the steps to the Monastery. There were numerous occasions we had to dive out the way as men raced by herding their donkeys down the steep steps to pick up more tourists. Some of the donkeys looked in good condition but many did not, and I was worried to see very overweight people riding them up the gruelling steps- it seemed awfully unfair on the donkeys, especially in the heat.

Christian Influence

A little hidden treasure in Petra is the ruins of a Christian church- the mosaics on the floor here are so well preserved and are beautiful with ornate images of wild animals and jugs of wine and food. They have been preserved really well. By the mid 4th AD a Christian community was growing in Petra, and they even had their own bishop. Three churches have so far been discovered in Petra.

the ‘Petra Church’ with its beautiful mosaic floor- wild deer, birds and cats adorn the floor.

one of the many facades in Petra with huge columns- the urn tomb

tombs inside one of the rooms- the sandstone here has gone crazy colours

there are little doorways everywhere in Petra

a raven admires his kingdom of Petra in the glorious golden sun

We walked over 21km, hiking into and exploring the Petra site- that gives you some idea of its vast size. It was definitely so much bigger than I’d ever imagined. The final leg of our journey took us to the famous Treasury- the iconic image of Petra and the sight which most tourists come to see. You could be forgiven for thinking this was all there was to see at Petra the images gets recycled on instagram so often.

The Treasury

There was a real hum of tourists here, people taking selfies and camels resting in the shadows, whilst horses and carts raced through taking tourists back through the Siq and up to the park entrance and the car park.

I can understand why the Treasury is Petra’s crowning Jewel- carved deep into the rock face its columns and detail are incredible to behold. The imagery on the Treasury is a complex fusion of different symbols and cultures.

Nobody really knows for sure what the Treasury was made for- we have no written records from the Nabateans themselves. Some believe it is a temple whilst others think it served as a tomb for the Nabatean kings.

However it has endured a long time- historians believe it was built in the first Century AD- since then not only has it weathered wind and rain, but also gun bullets. There was once a myth that the urn seen at the top might contain treasure and and bullets fired at the urn in the hope of revealing this treasure have caused significant damage.