Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LOVING PETRA TO DEATH
It seems ironic that after 1000 years of obscurity, if not neglect, Petra owes its current fragility to a renaissance of
interest. In a 'good' year half a million people visit, putting a huge strain on the management of one of the world's
best-loved antiquities. The combination of thousands of footprints a day, increased humidity levels from the breath
of tourists in the most popular tombs and erosion caused by adventurous travellers clambering over monuments and
steep hillsides combine to threaten Petra's longevity.
Acutely aware of the problems, a number of local, national and international bodies have been cooperating for
more than a decade to protect and enhance the 853 sq km site. For the most part Petra is now spotlessly clean,
thanks to constant maintenance, more toilet facilities and a shift in attitude from visitors, who largely carry their
rubbish back out with them.
Other improvements include the use of an invisible mortar to conserve fragile masonry and replace unsightly ce-
ment used in previous restoration attempts; major shoring up of the Siq; and ongoing conservation of tomb facades.
Rampant development in Wadi Musa has also been checked, an infrastructure of drainage and sewerage systems in-
stalled and a moratorium enforced on the building of unsightly hotels that impinge on the sense of seclusion in
Petra. Better signage and trail markers are yet to appear.
These conservation measures, however, will only save Petra for future generations with the cooperation of visit-
ors. Each tourist can play their part by sticking to trails, not clambering over the monuments, resisting the tempta-
tion to touch crumbling masonry, removing their litter and using designated toilet facilities. These things sound ob-
vious, but judging by a piece of graffiti that reads 'Daniel 2008' on top of one of the High Places, responsible tour-
ism may still be a long time coming.
High Place of Sacrifice (Al-Madbah)
The most accessible of the many mountain-top sites (called 'High Places') at Petra is the
High Place of Sacrifice, referred to locally as Al-Madbah (the Altar). The Nabataeans lev-
elled the top of Jebel Madbah to make a platform, digging large depressions with drains to
channel the blood of sacrificial animals. At first there doesn't seem much to see except
some weathered steps, but this is in fact one of the best-preserved sacred sacrificial sites
from ancient times.
Look first for two obelisks Offline map that mark the entrance to the site. Over 6m
high, these are remarkable structures because they are carved out of the rock face, not
built upon it: looking at the negative space surrounding them, you can understand the truly
epic scale of excavation involved. Dedicated to the Nabataean gods Dushara and Al-
'Uzza, their iron-rich stone glows in the sun and they act like totems of this once-hal-
lowed ground.
The altar area includes a large rectangular triclinium , where celebrants at the sacrifice
shared a communal supper. In the middle of the High Place, there's a large stone block
VIEWPOINT
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