Siq Petra’s Spectacular Gorge

The ancient urban essence of Petra , located inward the pump of the mountainous desert of southern Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , had unlike approaches inward the past. One possible road was from the due south , across the patently of Petra in addition to roughly Jabal Haroun or Aaron's Mountain. Another approach was from the high plateau to the north. But modern visitors approach Petra from the due east , through a narrow gorge called the Siq , that ends dramatically inward front end of the elaborate ruins of the “Treasury” or Al-Khazneh inward Arabic.

The Siq is non actually a gorge because it was non formed yesteryear H2O erosion simply yesteryear tectonic forces that caused the sandstone mount to split upward inward one-half creating a deep , narrow pathway. Later , H2O from flash floods gradually rounded the sudden edges of the gorge into smoothen curves.

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The get-go glimpse of the Treasury through the Siq. Photo credit: David Bjorgen/Wikimedia (left) , txefo/Flickr (right)

The entrance to the Siq 1 time contained a monumental arch , simply it collapsed inward 1896 next an earthquake. Only the ii abutments in addition to some hewn stones of the arch remain.

The path through the Sig meanders for 1.2 km betwixt beautifully-colored sandstone cliffs that tower 150 meters on either side. The Siq is no to a greater extent than than iii meters broad on average , simply occasionally the path widens plenty to allow inward warm sunlight in addition to fifty-fifty a tree. In other places , it becomes therefore narrow that 1 tin post away touching on both walls alongside arms outstretched.

Along the agency are several archaeological artifacts such every bit ancient H2O aqueducts that run along the sides of the canyon in addition to brought H2O downward to the pump of Petra. Small niches are carved out of the stone , high upward the basis in addition to tin post away solely live on accessed yesteryear stairs. There are too remnants of what must convey been large in addition to impressive statues. Along the Siq are too some secret chambers , whose component subdivision is non clear. It’s idea that they housed the guards that defended the master copy entrance to Petra.

As 1 approaches the halt of the Siq , a sparse sliver of the Treasury comes into thought through the narrow opening. Upon exiting the Siq , visitors tin post away convey sum thought of its jaw-dropping grandeur.

The Treasury was originally built every bit a mausoleum in addition to crypt , simply legend of it containing ancient riches had earned it its electrical current name. The loot was rumored to live on hidden within a stone urn high on the instant level. Local Bedouin tribes had tried to examination the theory yesteryear shooting at the urn inward hopes of breaking it opened upward in addition to spilling out the "treasure”. But the decorative urn is , inward fact , enterprise sandstone. Its façade is instantly riddled alongside bullet holes.

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