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THE TREASURY AT PETRA Jim Calhoun Oil on Canvas Original 16x20 > CONTACT ARTIST |
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Petra is about 3 hours south of modern Amman; and was first established sometime
around the 6th century BC, by the Nabataean Arabs. The sandstone allowed the
Nabataeans to carve their temples and tombs into the rock. The color of the rock
ranges from pale yellow or white through rich reds to the darker brown of more
resistant rocks. The contorted strata of the rock forms whorls and waves of color
in the rock face, which the Nabataeans utilized in their architecture. Read more about the Treasury at Petra The best-known of the monuments at Petra, the Khazneh is also the first to greet the visitor arriving via the Siq. The facade, carved out from the sandstone cliff wall, is 40m high, and is remarkably well-preserved, probably because the confined space in which it was built has protected it somewhat from the effects of erosion. The name Khazneh, which means 'treasury' comes from the legend that it was used as a hiding place for treasure. In practice, it seems to have been something between a temple and a tomb, possibly both at once. |
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Copyright 2006-2009 Blue Stream Studio. All paintings and Web site content copyright 2006-2009. All rights reserved. | |
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