Today’s photo is of the ancient/lost city of Petra—specifically, the Treasury, aka, Al Khazhneh. Even if you haven’t been to see it in Jordan, chances are you recognized the unique rust/peach-colored sandstone structure pretty quickly. It’s appeared in quite a few Hollywood movies and is famous for its use in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Petra Treasury Photo
What Petra Means
Petra, which means “stone” in Greek and Arabic, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been since the 1980s and is one of the highlights of any trip to Jordan. I enjoyed it when I was there—what a fascinating place to visit! But I must say it was oppressively hot on that particular day (it was in the summer and in low season). I went through three large bottles of water in a matter of hours.
Who/Why
The Nabataeans, a nomadic people, arrived in southern Jordan around the 6th Century BC and Petra and settled the area and eventually carved Petra out of the sandstone cliffs.
Of all the structures in the lost city of Petra, the Treasury is one of the most elaborate. No one is 100% sure why or exactly when it was built, but some say it was between 100 BC and AD 200.
Photographic Details
Camera: FujiFilm FinePix E 900
F stop: 2.8
Shutter speed: 1/80
ISO: 200
Your Thoughts/Experiences?
Have you been to Petra? If so, what was it like for you? What time of year did you go? Hopefully, it wasn’t as hot as it was when I was there.
If you haven’t been there, Would you like to go? What impression does the photo give you?
Do you enjoy visiting historical/archaeological sites? Do you have any favorites?
Want to Take Some More ‘Rides’ on the Bus?
If you liked this photo, then check out my other posts on Jordan, as well as the Middle East, and take a look at previous “photos of the day” from other parts of the world.
PS: I recently completed my travel memoirs—a collection of fun, quirky and trippy short stories from over a decade of traveling. To read a synopsis, click here. To sign up for my monthly newsletter—and to be notified of free giveaways, etc–click here. You can also board the bus over on Facebook. Hope to see you there!
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