The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-11-12

ciety, Washington, D. c.
Hidden away in the rocky region
south Of the Dead sea, midway be-
tween that deep depression and the
Gulf Of Akaba, is one of the strangest,
most beautiful, and most enchanting
spots upon this earth-the Rock City
| of Petra.
The Bible throws light on the gene
sis Of Petra, for 1t was founded by
the Edomites, descendants of Esau,
after his angry parting from Jacob.
In the days Of the Nabatheans,
Petra became the central point to
which the caravans from the interior
of Arabia, Persia and India came
laden with all the precious commodi-
ties Of the East, and from which these
commodities were distributed through
Egypt, Palestine, Syria and all the
countries bordering the Mediterra-
mean. for even Tyre and Sidon de-
rived many Of their precious wares
and dyes from Petra.
Petra was at that time the Suez of
this part Of the world, the place where
the East and West met to trade and
barter. 1t was also, in fact, a great
safe Deposit into which the cara
vans poured after the vicissitudes and
dangers of the desert. Its wealth be-
came fabulous, and 1t is not without
some good reason that the first rock
structure one sees In Petra, guard
Ing the mysterious entrance, is still
called "Pharaoh's Treasury" 1t
must have been the Nabatheans who |
developed the natural beauties Of the |
situation and increased the rock-cut |
dwellings and temples and tombs to
the almost interminable extent In
which they are found today.
The palmy period of the Ma
batheans extended from $50 B. G. to
100 A. D., when the Romans con-
luered the country and city, extended
two Roman roads into 1t, and estab-
ished the province of Arabia Petra.
The Rock City was always to these
regions and peoples what Rome was
70 the Romans and Jerusalem to the
Jews. Horites, Edomites, Nabatheans
md Romans have all rejoiced and
roasted in the possession of this
unique stronghold and most remark
lble city Of antiquity.
Lost for a thousand Years.
When Rome's power waned and the
ortified camps on the edge Of the
esert were abandoned, no doubt the
oldiers were withdrawn from such
tiles as Petra. Then the Romanized
or Nabatheanlzed Romans ,
ED their own against the desert
ordes as long as they could, and
'ent down probably about the same
me as the Greek cities of Decapo- S
s (G36 A. d.. From that time on |
Yard Petra's history became more S
bscure, and for more than thou /
and years Edom's ancient capital t
as completely lost to the civilized l.
orld. Until its discovery by Burck- C
nrdt, In 1912. its site seems to have e
zen unknown except to the wander {
x Bedouin.
1t is scarcely an exaggeration to q
" that the entrance to the Rock Il
Ity is the most striking gateway to o
" city on our planet. 1t is a mar G
w rift or deflle, bisecting mountain e
many-hued sandstone. winding d
rough the rock as though 1t was e.
e most plastic of clay. This silk.
deflle, is nearly two miles long. Its IL
neral contour is wide semicircu- tC
: swing from the right to the left, bt
tn innumerable short bends, hav- &c
2 sharp curves and corners In its &C
reral course. st
Pharaoh's Treasury. to
The width OK the six varies from u al
ct at Its narrowest point to 35 or m
feet at other places. Where the
pony walls actually overhang the by
adway nd almost shut out the W
le ribbon Of sky. 1t seems narrow; ell
and perhaps at macy points sn
owe the stream the walls do come so
,ser than IL feet. Photographs Of III
ese narrower and darker portions d.
the defile are Impossible. In
On ones first journey into this ST