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Al-Khazneh (The Treasury) at Petra |
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The first glimpse of Al-Khazneh upon exiting the Siq, the narrow gorge which leads visitors into Petra |
The name Treasury is attributed to the legends
surrounding the urn made of sandstone which sits high on the second level of
the monument. The local Bedouins believed that the urn contained treasures. This
myth is linked to the biblical legend of Moses and the Israelites escaping from Egypt.
As per the local belief, the Egyptian Pharaoh and at least part of his army
escaped the closing of the Dead Sea and continued after Moses. The Pharaoh who had initially
insisted on carrying his treasury had later realized it was slowing him down
during the pursuit, is believed to have magically created the monument and
placed his wealth in the urn at the top of the monument. This legend has
resulted in the top of the monument being covered with bullet marks fired by locals trying to get their hands on the lost treasure of the biblical Pharaoh who
chased Moses.
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The urn made of sandstone which sits high on the second level of the monument
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Al-Khazneh gained worldwide attention in
the 20th Century CE, when it appeared in the 1989 film “Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade”, in which its’ facade is depicted to be the entrance to the final resting place of the Holy Grail.
In reality, Al-Khazneh may have been the mausoleum
of King Aretas IV of Philopatris as opposed to being a structure
housing the treasures of the biblical Pharaoh or the Holy Grail.
A substantial part of the architectural
details of the monument have eroded over time. The entrance to the monument is
flanked by two badly eroded statues of Castor and Pollux, the twin
half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology.
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The eroded statues of Castor and Pollux at the entrance of Al-Khazneh |
The figures on the upper level appear to
be eroded statues of dancing Amazons.
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The figures on the upper level of Al-Khazneh |
Among the structures in Petra, Al-Khazneh is
one of the most prolific tourist attractions. It is currently the primary location
of the “Petra Night Show” which runs every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at
8.30 pm.
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| Al-Khazneh during the "Petra Night Show"
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