New-York tribune., 1884-01-25
A VISIT TO PETRA.
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE By EDWARD L. WILSON BE-
FORE THE GEOGRAPHICAL sOCIETY.

ILLUSTRATED LECTURE BY EDWARD l.. WILSON BE-
FORE THE GEOGRAPHICAL soCIETY.
Before the American Geographical Society in
Cbickering Hall last night Edward L. Wilson told how
he visited Petra and what he there Petra was once
the capital of the ancient Kingdom OF Edom Edom Is
situated in the southeast corner OF Palestine,
md Petra lies in the narrow valley OF
the Wady Moosa. The lecture was illustrated with
excellent sereoptcon views and was delivered
in pleasant colloquia style Mr.. Wilson visited the
city in 1892 when he ORGANIZED expedition for that
purpose. II first visited in modern times by Rurck
hardt the Swiss traveller previous that for thousand
years its existence appears to have been forgotten
"The antiquity OF Petra" said Mr.. wilson," Is un-
known Three thousand years before the Christian
era it was old and famous and its history,
though extremely interesting, is mysterious and battling
In the Bible 1t mentioned as Se but this name seems
to have passed away with the Hebrew rule Edom
since further trace Of 1, found The earliest mention
OF the place under the OF Petra Greek historians
is when two expeditions against the Nabathe
ans In Petra by Angonus of the OF Alex
ander" Mr. Wilson's journey to Petra appears to have
been hy devoid Of danger and hardship but 1t
also had It's humorous side which he related with good
effect OF Petra he said:
Is surrounded by lofty OF gneous rock chiefly
irregular ridges or abrupt cliffs broken by deep ravines
The valley about $50 feet broad at the entrance and
feet high The dark openings in the walls
Of Of. the the temples and grottos that ., dot dot
gorgeOusy colored cliffs the SUBMITS, downs and ter
races covered with luxurious vines oeanders and bloom
ing flowers, add TO the grandeur OF the place The ra
vines and gorges In Petra unequaed for picturesque
ness. Little niches are cut in the rocks everywhere,
for what purpose none can tell, unless for
sOm9 giOus ceremony. The greater number and the
larger excavations were evidently intended for tombs,
several bodies They are choked with rubbish and the
interior decorations plain but tho exterors exhibit
some OF the finest and most imposing results OF
Grecan art. Many of the columns resemble the
COrnhan order but account OF the great deviation in
form and ornament cannot be cassed Some are
DOno and undoubtedly very ancient All through
yellow, azure, black and white are found in th9 same
mass in distinct successive layers, or blended so as
to form every shade IMAGINABLE, as brill,
1ower The red shades into pale or deep rose and flesh
color and then into violet or lilac The white Is often
dashed with blue red and the yellow deepens into SAT
columns, the smooth walls ceilings showing the
most exquisite coOrs in regular horizontal layers but 1t
Ia difficult to describe It,
Ali the prominent buildings OF Petra with ono excep
ton are hewn out OF the solid rock. Mr.. Wilson thus
spoke Of the temple OF Kusnoh at is Incompatible
ornament to architecture partly elegant partly strange
in conception, making one think that 1t must
ferent artists as ia the Duomo at
Florence 1t Ia in wondrous state of preservation but
only he guessed at too much dcfaced for recognition
Its situation, its coorng It's Size its age all make
up enough 10 bewilder and entangle the tough
est brain. The interior Is forty feet square. The IA
cade Is Inetysix feet wide, and OF It's columns
is broken down and gone The columns arc five feet in
diameter and to be solid. The color Is almost
veins being Of a warm gray and reddish tint and not
broken by other ns and waves OF color as the build
ngs further in the city II looks now as clear and
fresh 0s though just constructed and yet 1t has no