Petra Treasury Colouring

Petra's Treasury, called Al-Khazneh, is one of the most recognisable rock-cut monuments in Jordan. It appears dramatically at the end of the Siq, a narrow winding gorge that leads into the ancient city of Petra. The Nabataeans made Petra an important caravan centre between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Traders carried incense, spices, textiles and other goods through this desert crossroads. Clever channels, dams, cisterns and reservoirs helped the city collect and store precious rainwater. The Treasury facade was carved directly into rose-coloured sandstone. It is about 39.5 metres high and has two richly designed levels. Tall columns, triangular and split pediments, a round central structure and a large urn at the top give it a grand appearance. The name Treasury comes from a later legend that treasure was hidden in the urn, but archaeologists do not think the building was a bank. Its exact date and purpose are still discussed. Many scholars connect it with the reign of the Nabataean king Aretas IV, from 9 BCE to 40 CE, and think it was probably an impressive royal tomb or memorial. Its design combines Hellenistic architectural ideas with Nabataean rock-cut skill. Colour the cliff and facade with gentle sandstone colours: pale peach, dusty rose, coral, warm orange, beige and soft red. Use lighter tones on the columns and ledges, then place slightly darker rust or brown inside the doorway and beneath the pediments. This will show depth without hiding the clean outlines. The urn can be golden tan, and the small decorative shapes may have touches of red or violet. Colour the shrubs olive green and the stones grey, tan or rusty brown. A very pale blue sky at the top will make the warm rock stand out. Follow the tall columns with straight pencil strokes and the cliff layers with slow, wavy strokes. Leave small white highlights along the carved edges to suggest bright desert sunlight. Most importantly, keep the doorway, columns, upper round chamber and surrounding cliff easy to see, because together they explain how this amazing monument was cut from living rock rather than built from separate blocks.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.