Petra Tour: High Place of Sacrifice
One of the most beautiful tours in Petra leads to the high sanctuary on the Jabal al-Madhbah, passing the so-called obelisks, and down into Wadi Farasa East.
For an optimal view of our website, please rotate your tablet horizontally.
The wall remains on the Jabal al-Madhbah were believed to be part of a crusader castle, and therefore called "Citadel." However, the structure was erected by the Nabataeans, as proven by the diagonal working traces on the stones using pointed or claw chisels, and the dry masonry typical of their technique. The crusaders, in contrast, consolidated wall joints with lime mortar, and also worked reused stone blocks with the characteristic medieval axe strokes. (U. Bellwald, p. 72 - 74)
The blocks for the construction were extracted by the Nabataeans from the quarry just in front of it. On the more than 6 m high pointed pillars ("obelisks") the height of the rock mined around them can be recognized.
Other researchers interpret the walls as propylae of the High Place of Sacrifice at the southern entrance to the sanctuary, where three paths met. But since the main access in Nabataean times was the northern route from the city centre, one wonders why there should have been such a representative portal on the less important southern side.
The explanation of the Swiss archaeologist Ueli Bellwald is more plausible: "The still visible masonry forms a polygonal line around the southern end of the Sacrifice Place, being a continuous retaining wall, with which the horizontal surface of the Sacrifice Place was enormously enlarged. The walls have only an outer shell, but not an inner one. They do not form spaces, but were filled up to the standing rock. ... On the terrace shaped by the retaining walls stood buildings, some of which had columns, whose walls crashed in the earthquake of 363 AD, which can still be seen today in their position of collapse."(U. Bellwald, p. 72 - 74)
Nowadays, a staircase through the wall remains of Qasr el-Qantara leads up to the High Place of Sacrifice.
© Photo, text: Haupt & Binder
One of the most beautiful tours in Petra leads to the high sanctuary on the Jabal al-Madhbah, passing the so-called obelisks, and down into Wadi Farasa East.