| Summary: | The Khazneh, or Treasury, is one of the most famous buildings in Petra, Jordan. Carved into the rock face of the famous "Rose-Red City," the Khazneh is the first building visitors see after leaving the Siq, the dark 160m long rock gorge which functions as entrance and defense for the city. The Khazneh looms far above the visitor's head and awes them with its rose colored rock and exquisite reliefs of vines, amphorae, and larger-than-life deities and animals. The two story faux temple façade includes Corinthian column capitols and two eagles atop the roof. A depiction of the Egyptian goddess Isis takes center stage of the second story and the divine twine, Castor and Pollux, flank the entrances on the first floor. Though aniconic worship was most prevalent among the Nabataeans, by the time the Khazneh was created, external influences were permeating many aspects of the kingdom. As the Khazneh was the first building visitors saw upon visiting Petra, the amalgamation of deities and their anthropomorphic shapes may have been an attempt to make the city seem more familiar to those from different cultures and religious expectations. At the very top of the building, an enormous pot or urn has been partially destroyed from gun fire, because it was once believed to be filled with gold – giving the building its nickname "the Treasury." However, instead of a repository for the wealth of the Nabataeans, the Khazneh is likely a tomb or mausoleum for a king, perhaps Aretas III "Philhellene" or Aretas IV "Who Loves His People." Three crypts lie below the modern ground level and housed nearly a dozen buried bodies – possibly members of the royal family. Interestingly, these crypts are decorated in typical Nabataean style, with crenelated faces rather than a Greco-Roman style. The Khazneh has fascinated modern audiences since its rediscovery in 1812. Featured in such popular movies as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the building inspires the imagination and is a favorite picture of the nearly one million tourists who travel ...
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