Al-Khazneh

What is Al Khazneh?

Al Khazneh("The Treasury") is one of the most elaborate temples in the ancient Edomite city of Petra. Al Khazneh, along with the other architectural sites of Petra, was hand carved from the beautiful red sandstone mountain.Treasury stands over 40 meters high.As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town,it has classical Greek-influenced architecture, and is a popular tourist attraction.

What is the History of Al Khazneh?The city where Al Khazneh is located is a bit of a mystery as well. Petra was believed to have been founded around the 6th century BCE and it is located in the country of Jordan, where it is one of the country’s major tourist attractionsThe historian Diodorus of Sicily, writing in the first century BC, gives us the earliest authentic description of a Nabataen Petra.Al Khazneh was originally built as a mausoleum and crypt at the beginning of the 1st Century AD during the reign of Aretas IV Philopatris. The story says that the pirates hid their bounty in a large urn .So, the Treasury is believed to have been previously used as a royal tomb, the urn would have been a natural place to disguise the bandits’ stash of stolen jewels, coins, and other items of value. Others believed that treasures from ancient pharaohs had been placed there The Bedouins are credited with having shot at the urn in hopes of breaking out the treasures inside.

What was Treasury like ?The sculptures are thought to be those of various mythological figures associated with the afterlife. On top are figures of four eagles that would carry away the souls. The figures on the upper level are dancing Amazons with double-axes. The entrance is flanked by statues of the twins Castor and Pollux who lived partly on Olympus and partly in the underworld.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCTDQf2uT9E

Inside

Inside there isn't anything special: just a chamber with two smaller rooms with high ceilings opening off it and a recessed basin linked to water channels.

In popular culture

Although Al Khazneh is thousands of years old and it continues to attract attention even now. The building has been used as a backdrop for several movies. Two of the most famous include Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Transformers and Transformers:Revenge of the Fallen. While the purpose of Al Khazneh varies depending on which film you are watching the original purpose for this unique and beautiful building is still a mystery.

Members of the team :●Efi Α.●Κostas A.●Iliana G. B1’

● http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/al-khazneh.htm● http://www.sacred-destinations.com/jordan/petra-treasury● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Khazneh● http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/Jordan/Muhafazat_Maan/Petra-1800275/

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Photo Peach : http://photopeach.com/album/78nl09