day 2 umm biyara
Climbing Umm Biyara is not particularly difficult but it could be dangerous. Many places the steps were eroded and you have to do some minor climbing (not for the Hawaiian shirt tourists). The rock piles along the trail help hikers from getting lost. Even with a GPS, I could have lost my way if not for the rock piles. So I added some more rocks along the trail.
It was a famous place where a Hebrew King threw down 10,000 victims from the top. It was also suspected to be the ancient capital of Sela mentioned in the Bible.
With an Indiana Jones hat, I was so smart. I immediately identified the Wadi slope beside the tomb. It looked so challenging so I guessed this must be the way up (also according to my ancient guide book).
Some locals identified my stupidity and told me to use the steps...
I was diasppointed at the lack of challenge...
but then the steps ended and the challenge began.
some place I had to climb.
The top of the mountain doesn't look big enough for a capital. A vacation place, perhaps, but not a capital like Sela.
The only place in Petra with not tourists, no donkey men and no water stands.
Once a Hebrew king threw down 10,000 Edomite POW down the cliff from these steps. The mountain is 1100 meters high.
I checked the place. Firstly, you can only break you legs if you jump down from here because the cliff doesn't reach all the way to the bottom. Secondly, it is impossible to take 10,000 unwilling victims up Umm Biyara if you see how steep and narrow some of the paths are. Thirdly, in ancient time, the Hebrew word for thousand could also meant families or tents. It's more likely the king only killed 10 families (40 people?).
I was up here and everyone was down there.....
A treasure hidden under the rock beside the cistern.
GPS location N30"19.618' E35"26.134'
Don't fall into the cistern unless you
want to become a hermit (a dead hermit indeed).
Find the number written on the antique pottery piece and
email me back.
A temple was built here, a broad steps led down to the cliff. That was the place where the Hebrew king sacrifice his victims.
These slope were cut from the rocks by the Edomite
