Hidden amongst the ancient canyons of Jordan is the most mystic and glorious of Jordan’s national treasures, an eternal tribute to a lost civilization: The legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in south Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Carved entirely into the naturally pink rocks, the remains of the once lost Nabataean city of Petra include temples, Roman theaters, monasteries, houses and roads. From the entrance a track leads you down to the Siq, the narrow gorge that takes you into Petra, used to be marked by a Roman archway of which only the vertical ruins are visible. Once inside, the path narrows as the cliffs seem to close about you, and just as you least expect it, the passage widens and you catch a glimpse of the astonishing monument that dominates Petra, El Khazneh (The Treasury). Inspired by classical Hellenistic architecture, the Khazneh is carved as a tomb for a Nabataean King depicting Nabataean gods and godesses and mythological figures. Believed to be an important pilgrimage site with worshipers and priests using a processional route to congregate in the open area in front of the monument, The Monastery (Al Deir) was used as a monastery during the Christian Byzantine era when crosses were painted on its rear wall. A day’s drive from Amman takes you right into the heart of this ancient history, a journey through time you’ll never forget.

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