Petra Tour: Royal Tombs
Some of the most impressive tombs in Petra, sculpted out of the western slope of the Jabal al-Hubta rock massif, overlooking the city center.
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To reach the last and only datable tomb with pediment in Petra, one has to walk down from the Palace Tomb about 250 m to the north into the Wadi al-Mataha. The heavily weathered façade is best seen in the late afternoon with lateral sunlight.
According to the Latin dedicatory inscription, the tomb (BD 763) was built for Titus Aninius Sextius Florentinus by order of his son Lucius. Sextius Florentinus was Roman governor of Provincia Arabia from 127 AD on, but already in 130 AD the name of his successor T. Haterius Nepo is mentioned in ancient sources, which means that he probably died in 129. The hypothesis of some researchers that an older Nabataean tomb was reused is refuted by stylistic comparisons with Roman buildings elsewhere, among other things. After the Roman annexation, burials in the city center of Petra were forbidden. Probably for this reason, the tomb of this prominent personality is located further away.
Reconstruction drawing, Brünnow & von Domaszewski, 1904
The lower level of the façade stands on a podium, interrupted by the door, and has wide corner pilasters with quarter columns on the outer sides. Thick half-columns protrude next to the entrance. The supports of the lower floor continue upwards through protruding areas in the entablature as well as pilasters on the high attic. In the lower and upper order they culminate in Nabataean capitals. Light enters the interior through a narrow slit in the right side of the facade.
The cornice above the lower entablature opens to a semi-circular arch with a tympanum relief of a woman surrounded by vines. She is interpreted as a vegetation goddess and also appears in the pediment of the Khazneh (Treasury). On the acroterion above the center of the arch is an eagle with outstretched wings, similar to the one of the well-preserved "vine woman" relief from the Nabataean temple Khirbet et-Tannur (1st half 2nd century AD), that can be seen in the Jordan Museum in Amman (see the image page with explanations).
The upper entablature with large dentil friezes supports a pediment. In the tympanum field one can vaguely make out the remains of a figurative relief. The acroteria on the outer corners are broken off. In the center, the pediment is crowned by an urn, like on the famous Urn Tomb.
In the interior, five deep shafts for tombs (loculi) have been carved into the back wall and three wider burial chambers, into the right side.
© Photos, summary: Haupt & Binder, Universes in Universe
Some of the most impressive tombs in Petra, sculpted out of the western slope of the Jabal al-Hubta rock massif, overlooking the city center.
Rudolf-Ernst Brünnow and Alfred von Domaszewski: Die Provincia Arabia, Volume 1.
Verlag Karl J. Trübner, Strasbourg 1904.
The catalogue of grave facades and other monuments in Petra, compiled by the researchers during their travels in 1897 and 1898, still serves as a reference today - abbreviated BD or Br. with the respective number.