Silk Tomb, Petra

No trip to Jordan is complete without visiting Petra, a city carved out of red-hued desert cliffs by the Nabataean people over 2,000 years ago. When you’re there you’ll see many stunning rock-cut structures including a series of Royal Tombs.

The Royal Tombs are really special and shouldn’t be missed! One of the most exceptional is the Silk Tomb, also known as the Streaked Tomb because of the dazzling shades of the eroded sandstone facade.

The amusing colors of the Silk Tomb in Petra (by Ahron de Leeuw CC BY 2.0)

Pro Tip: To see the colors of the Silk Tomb facade at their best, visit in the late afternoon when the sun sets and casts light on the stone.

The tomb was named the Silk Tomb because of the rich colors of the facade which appears like an iridescent piece of silk draped on the rock. It is uncertain who was buried in the Silk Tomb, but like the other Royal Tombs it dates back to the first half of the 1st century. 

Where is the Silk Tomb?

If you follow the main route through Petra after you go past the Siq along the Street of Facades you will reach a path that takes you to the right, just after you pass the Petra Theater on your left. Follow this path to reach all the Royal Tombs.

The Silk Tomb on the left, next to the Corinthian Tomb (by Guillaume Baviere CC BY 2.0)

The series of tombs starts with the Urn Tomb, followed by the Silk Tomb. If you continue on this route you will reach the Corinthian Tomb, Palace Tomb, and the Tomb of Sextius Florentinus.

What to See and Do at the Silk Tomb

Silk Tomb Facade

The facade is 10.8 meters wide and 19 meters high. It features a central opening flanked by two columns on each side. (actually, they are pilasters, columns carved into the rockface, not free-standing). The colors are truly remarkable with horizontal stripes of red, pink, white, brown, black, yellow, and orange. 

The beautiful colors of the surrounding rocks make for a lovely photo-op

Above the first level of the facade is a second story with another opening directly above the main entrance. Further up a third level features a freeze of two sets of steps carved into the facade. If you look closely you can see carved niches in the facade holding weather-worn relief figures.

Pro Tip: Even harder to spot is the tiny sword deity high up on the facade opposite the left set of steps. Ironically, the damage from environmental conditions has exposed the underlying colors of the sandstone. 

Inside the Silk Tomb

Once through the entrance, the tomb opens up to a 90m² chamber. Pro Tip: This is one of the few Petra structures where you can go inside. The space would have been used for religious ceremonies and rituals to honor the dead.

Plan Your Visit

• Open Times: 06:00-18:00; and until 16:00 in winter.
• Prices: Entrance to the Petra Archaeological Park is 90 JD unless you are on a Petra tour in which case the entrance is included in the tour price. Pro Tip: The Jordan Pass provides a discount to the Petra Archaeological Park.
• Average Visit Duration: The average time spent at the Silk Tomb is 40 min.
• Popular Times: The Silk Tomb’s facade looks best when the sun is shining on the iridescent rock and highlighting the brilliant colors.
• Special Events: Although there is no special event at the Silk Tomb, there is a nighttime show in Petra that takes place on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 20:30 in front of the Treasury; the whole area is lit with thousands of candles, and it's highly recommended.
• Relevant Tours: The Silk Tomb is usually included in guided Petra tours. And if you join a 2-day Petra tour you will definitely have time to explore the Silk Tomb. With a Petra tour from Tel Aviv or Petra tour from Jerusalem, you’ll see Jordan and Israel in one trip!