If You Can't Build then Carve.

AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Roman period provincial capitals had to have an amphitheater. Not certain why this was such a high priority edifice but every city that took on this status has one and Petra was no exception. What was an exception was how they went about it. Most Roman amphitheaters were large scale stone masonry structures but the one in Petra went the other way - the Nabataeans carved one out of a mountainside instead. What is more unusual was the fact that they carved off the faces of several of the existing tomb facades in order to do this. Not quite sure how they compensated the families whose facades were removed but the results are certainly obvious.

This is one of the first things you encounter after passing by the Khazneh on your way into Petra from the east.

Roman Theater in Petra

Roman Theater in Petra

A Roman period amphitheater carved out of a mountainside in Petra.

As a point of scale there is a member of our group leaning against the column near the stage area on the right.

C&C always welcome.
 
AlanLichty

AlanLichty

Moderator
Ben Egbert said:
The rows of seats also give scale and this looks like a pretty big undertaking.
Click to expand...
What we always found interesting was the fact that there are no huge rock debris piles anywhere in Petra for the waste material that would come out of this type of project. They must have figured out how to combine carving projects with quarrying needs for building stones to minimize the waste material. That would basically turn this theater into a carefully staged quarrying project that ended up with the desired shape.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
How interesting Alan. Wow, to have carved that out is amazing.

Is there a tunnel that they carved under the lower section?
 
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