Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-02
HEwN OUT OF ROCK.

Petra, the Getty Of Rocks" of syria,
Described by f. l.. Wilson.
The American Academy of Music, says
the Philadelphia Press of the 10 inst,
was well filed last night to hear Edward
l.. Wilson lecture on THE Taking Of
Petra" The talk consisted throughout
of interesting descriptions of a series of
magnificent Photographic pictures of
scenes ana places IN Petra and its vicinity,
thrown on "A large screen from steIe-
opticon. MIR. Wilson began with an ac-
count of the route taken by his party TO
reach Petra, which is SO jealousy guard
ed bv those who live on the lines of its
approaches that it is seldom visited by
tourists.
On account of this difficulty in reach
ing the place and because of the success
which he met in exploring its deserted
remains. Mr.. Wilson called his lecture
the Taking of PETRA
During his comments upon the lllustra-
tiOns thrown upon the scene, he said, IN
part:
.sThe city existed before the time of
Moses; it was the place where Solomon
was a merchant and David fought the foe.
Starting from Port Said the journey was
made across the Suez canal down to
Arabia. and thence northwest from Mount
Sinai by five days journey to Akaba.
Here a contract in Arabic characters was
made with the native who was to lead the
party. TwO-thIrds Of the written contract
consisted Of complimentary salutatlOns.
the other third was made up of saluta-
tiOns complimentary, and the business
that ought 10 have been contained in the
upper part OF the sheet was put in a post
script down in the left hand lower
corner, in single line. The line of
march to Petra was through very rocky
country, hut the nearer the approach was
made to the city. the lower the rocks and
the broader the desert. Petra itself is in
4he very lowest part Of rocky valley
nGE called Wadv Musa. The city, which
covers considerable territory, is complete
~ hemmed in by cliffs. InI only avail
able entrance is from the east, I1rougn a
narrow gorge ~----'' - "a that a
- s..laIi IN pidc,-
loaded camel cannot pass through. me
Dath is crooked, and the sides of the clfi
are many hundred feet high. Once in the
valley where the city is founded one sees
an amphitheatre capable o. holding 3,3OO
persons. Magnificent temples, pillars,
public edifices and dwellings are found
on every side in almost entire preserva-
ton.
"TTp the mountain sides the homes for
the people were built, and the sides of the
mountains. first shaved off, were carved
into long flights of stairs. All the build
ings and pillars are carved from the solid
rock. A house or a temple was mad" Oui
Of and stands to-day, a solid piece Of
stone. The process was to plane off the
side Of the Fountain Of stone, then, be-
ginning at tine top. facade Of elegant
architectural beauty was carved upon tht
face Of the mountain. First. the capital
was carved, then the pillar, then the base
and so on down to the bottom. Exc"
vations were made, beginning at the top
and in this way the temple was graduall'
constructed. The stone Is
puzZle to biologists. Its color is red ant
green, and yellow and blue. and game
and brown, as in watered silk, and tn
best explanation of Its gorgeous Yarlet.
is that the water mas mingled with tn
iron salts, and the stone itself being @
different constituents. in different place
has caused the several cOlOrs. They loo
like the cclnrs of a rich Persian III
blended in curYing lines.
The mountains, which really cOnstitut
the surrounding walls of Petra and Civ
il the name of the 'ROcky City" an
make it the most impregnable place in tn
world. are from 1900 to 1000 feet higl
Some of the dwellings and temples ar
100 feet in height. The excavations II
20 aud 40 feet deep.