Here is a very famous temple in the world for its majestic character, its beauty and its history: the Khazneh whose name comes from Arabic and literally means the “Treasure of the Pharaoh”. You have surely already seen this monument which appears in well-known entertainment, such as the comic strip The Adventures of Tintin: Coke in stock, or even the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This ancient gem attracts many curious people and visitors every year.
The Khazneh is located in the ancient city of Petra , in the northwest of Jordan . Petra was built by the Edomites, an ancient Arab tribe, around the 8th century BC, then recovered and modernized by the Nabataeans, an Arab trading people from the 6th century BC. Petra then becomes the Nabataean capital .
After several archaeological studies, it is assumed that the Khazneh was born around the 1st century BC. J.-C. , and that the monument would have served as a tomb for a man of power. The most credible hypothesis would be that the Khazneh is the tomb of King Aretas IV, king of the Nabataeans and Petra, who died in the year 40. The tomb is in the form of a construction 43 meters high, dug and carved out of the sandstone, and is characterized by an architectural style close to that of the Corinthian Greeks and Egyptians. The exterior facade is made up of columns with an intercolonne panel located on each side, decorated with reliefs and characters from Greek and Egyptian mythology (the Dioscuri, Isis). The architrave and the frieze are also detailed and decorated. On the upper floor, we find the same architecture on the lateral sides, and in the center, a tholos (circular construction) decorated with details, taking the form of an urn.
The word “Khazneh”, which means “Treasure of the Pharaoh”, comes from the Bedouin culture (Arab nomadic people), where the belief says that the tholos would house a fabulous treasure of high value! As can be seen in some photos, bullet holes show that some people tried to break the urn to unearth the hoard, but none succeeded, because the urn is not hollow and is carved out of the rock, so impossible to drill. This fabulous archaeological site has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and several protective measures have been implemented to preserve the place.
Here are a few more photos to show you the power of the Khazneh, and which will make you want to go to Jordan!
