Little Petra is the quiet sibling of Jordan’s most famous site. About 8 km north of Petra, a short sandstone canyon called Siq al-Barid hides carved facades, dining halls, rock-cut stairways and a ceiling painted with vines and winged figures some 2,000 years ago. It’s free to enter, takes an hour or two to explore and is the starting point for the back-door hike to Petra’s Monastery. Here’s what to see, how to get there and how to fit it into a Petra trip.

Little Petra at a glance

What is Little Petra?

Little Petra, or Siq al-Barid, is a Nabataean site set in a narrow sandstone canyon north of Petra. The name means “the cold canyon”: its high walls keep most of the sunlight out. It earned the name Little Petra because, like its famous neighbor, it is entered through a narrow passage and is lined with buildings carved into the rock.

It was probably built in the 1st century AD, when Nabataean power was at its height. Plaster and mortar from the Painted Biclinium have been radiocarbon dated to between 40 BC and 25 AD. Its large dining halls may have been used to entertain merchants traveling the caravan routes, and it’s possible the Nabataeans chose the spot because of the much older settlement at nearby Beidha. Little Petra is part of the Petra Archaeological Park and is included in Petra’s UNESCO World Heritage listing from 1985.

Walking through Siq al-Barid

The canyon is only about 450 m long, so the whole site is an easy, flat walk. Here’s what you pass, from the entrance to the far end:

• The columned facade. Near the start is a triclinium (a dining hall with benches on three sides) with a pedimented, columned porch. It’s thought to have served as a temple.
• The first open area. After about 400 m, the canyon widens. Tombs, rooms and stairways are cut into the walls on both sides.
• The second open area. The canyon narrows for about 50 m and then opens again into a smaller space with four large triclinia.
• The Painted Biclinium and the cistern. On the south side is the small painted dining room (see below). A large cistern is cut into the rock opposite it.
• The steps at the far end. At the west end, steps climb to the top of the rock, with views over the Petra region.

The Painted Biclinium

The highlight of Little Petra is a small rock-cut dining room known as the Painted Biclinium, or Painted House. Its ceiling is covered with a web of grapevines, ivy and other plants, with flowers, birds, insects and small winged figures picking grapes and chasing birds away from the fruit. The vines and grapes link the scene to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. It’s the most complete Nabataean painted scene still in place, and one of very few surviving examples of 2,000-year-old Hellenistic wall painting.

The paintings were first photographed in 1906. Over the centuries they were blackened by soot from campfires, and for a long time they looked beyond saving. Between 2006 and 2010, the Petra National Trust and conservators from London’s Courtauld Institute of Art cleaned and conserved them, bringing back details and colors that hadn’t been seen for generations.

The paintings survived because nobody touched them. Look, take photos without flash, and don’t lean on the walls.

Beidha: the Neolithic village next door

Little Petra shares its parking area with Beidha, one of Jordan’s most important prehistoric sites. People camped here seasonally as early as the 11th millennium BC, and by around 7200–6500 BC a farming village of stone houses stood on the spot, thousands of years before the Nabataeans arrived. Beidha was excavated by the archaeologist Diana Kirkbride from 1957, and it’s included in the Petra World Heritage Site too. Since both sites share the same parking lot, it’s easy to add Beidha to a Little Petra visit.

Hiking from Little Petra to the Monastery

From the end of the canyon, a trail of about 6 km runs southwest to Ad Deir, the Monastery, in Petra. It’s sometimes called the “back door” to Petra, because you arrive at the Monastery from above instead of walking in through the Siq. A few things to know before you go:

• Go with a guide. The trail isn’t formally marked. Don’t hike it alone.
• Start early. Don’t set out late in the day; nights here are often cold.
• You still need a Petra ticket. Entering Petra this way still requires Petra admission, and the Jordan Pass covers it.
• Plan your way out. The hike ends inside Petra, so you’ll walk down past the Monastery and out through the main site.

New to Petra? Read our complete guide to Petra for the Siq, the Treasury, the Monastery and how many days you need.

Getting there, tickets and hours

• Location. Little Petra is about 8 km north of Petra and the town of Wadi Musa. The easiest way there is by car or taxi from Wadi Musa, or with a guide.
• Tickets. Little Petra is run separately from Petra, and there’s no ticket or entry fee.
• Hours. It’s open to visitors during daylight.
• Facilities. Bedouin sell souvenirs and snacks in the parking lot. Bring your own water for walking.

Tips for visiting

• Pair it with Petra. Little Petra is a short drive from Wadi Musa, so it fits easily into the afternoon after a morning in Petra, or into a rest day between two days in the main site.
• Bring a layer. True to its name, the canyon stays shaded and can feel cool.
• Wear good shoes. The canyon floor is sandy and the rock-cut stairs are uneven.
• Climb the steps at the end. The view from the top of the rock is one of the best in the area.
• Be respectful. Ask before photographing people, and buy a tea or a souvenir from the local stalls if you can.

Local-guided experiences

Little Petra FAQ

Sources

• Little Petra (Wikipedia) — location, name, dating, canyon layout, triclinia, cistern, steps, Painted Biclinium, conservation, access, trail to Ad Deir
• UNESCO — Petra — World Heritage inscription
• NBC News / AP — Petra’s ancient paintings emerge from campfire smoke — soot damage, Courtauld conservators, imagery, rarity
• Beidha (Wikipedia) — Natufian and Neolithic dates, Kirkbride excavation, UNESCO inclusion
• Jordan Pass — Petra entry
• Wikimedia Commons — photographs credited in each caption (CC BY / CC BY-SA)