AL-KHAZNEH (THE TREASURE)

How to get there. Follow the path from the Visitor Center for 1 kilometer, through the canyon.

Visit. After walking through the Siq and admiring its betyls, its ingenious canalization system and its impressive cliffs, the Siq narrows one last time to reveal only a fragment of the jewel of Petra between the cursive lines of its walls. Hidden in a protected clearing of the Siq, the Khazneh al-Fira'un or Treasure of the Pharaohs is revealed only at the last moment. It is for many visitors the most exceptional monument of the ancient Nabatean capital, the one that motivated their trip to Jordan. The delicacy of its facade, the changing color of its sandstone, the softness of its curves refined by erosion make this building a marvel to contemplate without ever getting tired of it. But we have to be honest, the horde of tourists with tripods and selfie poles, the Bedouins, the dromedaries or the donkeys are detracting from the serenity of the experience.

Myths and legends. Despite the passion it arouses, the Treasure has not finished delivering its mysteries. To this day, archaeologists have not succeeded in finding the reasons for its construction, and the legends surrounding it are numerous. The Treasure takes its name from a Bedouin legend which tells that a pharaoh would have hidden his treasure in the urn topping the rotunda with columns at the top of the building. Researchers tried to prove this, but soon realized that the urn was not hollow and could not contain anything. It seems, however, that the Bedouins believed in it because they kept shooting at the urn with their rifles, as attested by the bullet holes, in order to extract some small booty from it. In view of the majesty of the building and the choice of the place, the specialists agree rather on the fact that it had to be a royal tomb. The wealthy classes of the Nabataean kingdom, and even more so the king himself, were aware of the architectural fashions of the Mediterranean metropolises and knew as well as anyone how to impress high-ranking visitors. Architectural elements inspired by the Ptolemaic style indicate that the Treasury would have been built during the second half of the reign of Aretas IV (9 BC to 40). But for whom? No one knows. No remains have been found inside the tomb. Important excavations carried out in the square in 2003 have brought to light more ancient tombs, one of which could be dated to around 20 B.C. These tombs are deeply buried in the ground or have been partially covered by the construction of the Treasury. Originally, the square in front of the tomb was 6 meters below the present level. It was paved and may have included a pool or fountain. A monumental staircase, 13 meters long, gave access to the ancient tombs and then to the terrace of the Treasury. Today, it allows you to descend into the tombs. The tombs, like the interior of the Treasury, are not open to the public.

Architecture. Like all Nabataean temples and tombs carved in rock, the Treasury of Petra was cleared starting from the top. The Nabataeans used this technique to prevent the rock in the upper parts from collapsing under its own weight. They started by clearing a step across the entire width of the building to be constructed, then descended as they went along. One can still see the notches left by the stonecutters to fix their scaffolding. The interior of the tomb was also hollowed out from top to bottom. Once the exterior façade was cleared and the doorway outlined, the workers dug a gallery from the entrance, which they widened as they went along. The influence of Ptolemaic (or Greek) Egypt, and more particularly of Alexandria, is very clear. It can be found in the structure as well as in certain details. Analogies can be found with certain palaces in the north-east of Libya (at the time under the influence of Alexandria), notably in the ornamental choices of the façade or the pediment. The latter, with its lines broken by a tholos, a round temple, was perhaps inspired by a fresco in the Casa del Labirinto in Pompeii, on which a similar element can be seen. The statue of the tholos represents the Egyptian goddess Isis, who was appropriated by the Nabataeans. The two small side temples only show fragments of winged Victories. They have been damaged by erosion, but also by man. The lower level of the tomb shows classical elements of the ancient Greek style. The façade of the building is surmounted by a pediment supported by six columns with Corinthian capitals. In the center of the pediment is a sun disk surrounded by bovine horns and ears of wheat. These are the symbols of the Egyptian goddess Isis. Between the columns, on either side of the entrance, one can see colossal statues of men on horseback, partially erased. They are the Dioscuri, the brothers Castor and Pollux, in charge of guiding the souls of the dead in Greek mythology.

When to go there? Buses start pouring in around 8:00-8:30 am at the Visitor Center. To avoid the traffic jam at the exit of the Siq, leave before. By starting at the opening, you will take pictures of the Treasury without anyone on top. The façade turns pink between 9 and 11 am, depending on the season.