Petra - Jordan - page 346

Downhill from the Theatre, the wadi widens out to create a larger thoroughfare. To the
right, the great massif of Jebel al-Khubtha looms over the valley. Within its west-facing
cliffs are burrowed some of the most impressive burial places in Petra, known collectively
as the 'Royal Tombs'. They look particularly stunning in the late afternoon, bathed in
golden light.
The Royal Tombs are reached via a set of steps that ascends from the valley floor, near
the Theatre. A fantastic hike from the Royal Tombs leads up to the numerous places of
worship on the flattened High Place of Jebel Khubtha, together with a spectacular view of
the Treasury. The steps are easily visible between the Palace and Sextius Florentinus
tombs. The Royal Tombs also can be reached via the adventurous hike through Wadi
Muthlim - Click here .
Urn Tomb
The most distinctive of the Royal Tombs is the Urn Tomb, recognisable by the enormous
urn on top of the pediment. It was probably built in about AD 70 for King Malichos II
(AD 40-70) or Aretas IV (8 BC-AD 40). Part of what makes it such a grand structure is
the flanking Doric portico cut into the rock face on the left of the tomb, and the huge open
terrace in front of it - a feature that encouraged its use, according to a Greek inscription
inside the tomb, as a cathedral in AD 447. The double layer of vaults was added at a later
date by the Byzantines. Look towards the top of the building and you'll see three inac-
cessible openings carved between the pillars. These are tombs, the central one of which
still has the closing stone intact, depicting the king dressed in a toga. The naturally pat-
terned interior of the Urn Tomb measures a vast 18m by 20m.
Silk Tomb and Corinthian Tomb
Spare some time to admire the neighbouring Silk Tomb, noteworthy for the stunning
swirls of pink, white and yellow veined rock in its facade. The badly damaged Corinthian
Tomb, immediately adjacent, is something of a hybrid, with elements of both Hellenistic
and Nabataean influences. The portico on the lower level of the tomb is distinctively local
in origin, while the upper decorative features are more Hellenistic in style. The tomb gets
its name from the Corinthian capitals adorned with floral motifs.
Palace Tomb
Nearby is the delightful three-storey imitation of a Roman or Hellenistic palace, known as
the Palace Tomb. Its rock-hewn facade, the largest in Petra, is thought to owe more to or-
namental exuberance than to any religious significance. The two central doorways are
topped by triangular pediments, while the two on either side have arched pediments. The