The royal tombs of the rock city of Petra Jordan

Tombs of the Kings in Petra Jordan UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Under the name of royal tombs there are four splendid grave monuments of the Rock city of Petra summarized. They were carved out of the sandstone of the Jabal al-Khubtha rock massif by the Nabataeans. One differentiates that Urn gravethe Silk gravethe Corinthian tomb and Palace tomb. Sometimes the tomb of Sextius Florentinus, which is a little off the beaten track and was built later, is also included in the complex of royal tombs.

The Urn grave originated in 70 AD and has numerous peculiarities. A colonnade, a brick vault, and the fact that it was later converted into a church highlight this tomb. The Silk grave was built at the beginning of the 1st century AD. The beautifully striped and intensely colored sandstone wall coined the name silk grave. The Corinthian tomb dates from between 40 and 70 AD. Presumably the famous one served Al Khazneh Treasure House as inspiration, because there are striking similarities. The Palace tomb bears this name because the shape of its sandstone facade is more reminiscent of a palace than a rock tomb.

The Sextius Florentine tomb is a bit away from the rest of the royal tombs and can be reached via a short walk from the palace tomb. A Latin inscription documented that this tomb was built for Sextius Florentinos, the Roman governor of the province of Arabia. Based on these historical data, researchers were able to date the tomb to the year 129 AD. This makes this grave the most precisely dated grave of the Rock city of Petra.

List of Royal Tombs in Petra: Urn Tomb • Silk Tomb • Corinthian Tomb • Palace Tomb • Sextius Florentinus Tomb

Those who wish to visit these sights in Petra should follow the Al-Khubtha Trail.

Jordan • World Heritage Petra • Story Petra • Petra map • Sightseeing Petra • Rock tombs Petra • Royal Tombs Petra