The mysterious Obelix shines in the sun on the top of Petra

The mysterious Obelix shines in the sun on the top of Petra - Jordan!

2005-08-30

The Obelix are one of the ancient Petra`s over 800 monuments. Hidden between small passages and high cliffs there are plenty of buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways and colonnaded streets. These monuments have been carved out from sandstones by its inhabitants, the Nabataeans. They can be best enjoyed by watching them early in morning and in the late afternoon when the sun warms its multicoloured stones.

Some of the most famous monuments are Al-Siq, The Treasury, Street of Facades, The Theater, The Royal Tombs, The City Center, Qasr Al-Bint Temple, Al-Deir, The Lion Monument, The Garden Temple Complex, The Triclinium, The Renaissance Tomb, The Broken Pediment Tomb, and The Roman Soldier Tomb. I took my way all the way to the top, and there I could admire a fantastic view over the whole ancient site (July 2005). I could also see the High Place of Sacrifice, but the most fascinating monument was the Obelix. It was a real mystery rising up there on the top ......

Photo. One of of the Obelixes on the top of Little Petra. © Travel Explorations.

Petra, the "Rose-Red City" of the ancient Nabataean civilization, is situated in the south of Jordan. It lies to the east of Wadi Araba, a part of the Great Rift Valley, approximately 133 kilometers as the crow flies from the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Petra means "rock" in Greek. Since the city is literally carved out of sandstone desert cliffs, the name fits well. It was founded by a nomadic Arab tribe known as the Nabataeans several centuries before Christ's birth. The Nabataeans were renowned for their great skills in trade, agriculture, engineering, and architectural stone-carving.

Ufortunately the ancient city has been damaged seriously due to several earthquakes, and has not been fully recoverd. Excavations, reconstructions and conservation work today intent to make it look like as it did in the past.

Petra's monuments are scattered over 400 square miles. It`s accessible through a narrow gorge near the village Petra, but it could also be entered by an old secret trail. This ancient site was unknown for Europeans until it was rediscovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

Photo. Stein Morten walking the old secret trail.

It was definitely not the easiest way!

© Travel Explorations.

It took me about 35 - 40 minutes to climb up to the High Place of Sacrifice with approximately 1050 steps. Nearby I found the Obelix standing in its full pride. I just wonder: what was the purpose of this monument? So far little is known about the Obelix, and it`s still a mystery why and how it was built.

Photo. A wonderful view of a part of Little Petra from the top near the Obelixes and the High Place of Sacrifice.

© Travel Explorations.

More about the Obelix is coming soon!

Stein Morten Lund, 30 August 2005

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