Royal Tombs

Carved into Petra’s sandstone cliffs, the Palace, Corinthian, and Silk Tombs are monumental 1st-century CE rock-cut mausoleums built by the Nabataeans. They epitomize the fusion of indigenous Nabataean design with Hellenistic (Greco-Roman) architectural influences. The Silk Tomb, named for the iridescent multicolored sandstone of its façade, is relatively small but visually striking. The adjacent Corinthian Tomb (c. 40–70 CE) features Corinthian columns and a central tholos, echoing Petra’s Treasury and underscoring strong Greco-Roman influence. The largest is the three-story Palace Tomb, so-called for its grand palace-like façade.