Al Madras Trail

Trail overview

This trail heads westward after passing the Obelisk Tomb, then follows an ancient Nabatean staircase approximately 3 meters wide, ascending to the top of the Madras site, which held high religious significance for the Nabateans.

When you leave Al Madras towards the high place of sacrifice, along the way, you will see many wild trees and shrubs, such as the Phoenician Juniper, white weeping broom (Retama), oleander, and sea squill. Upon reaching the summit of the high place, which is designated for performing religious rituals and offering sacrifices to the gods, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of the towering sandstone mountains surrounding Petra. Along the path that descends from the high place into Wadi Farasa, you will enjoy seeing many rock-cut monuments, such as the lion fountain, the garden hall, the Roman soldier tomb and triclinium, and the Renaissance tomb. Historically, this route served as a pilgrimage path to the High Place of Sacrifice during the Nabataean era. The Al-Zantur Nabataean mansion, the trail's endpoint, is a relic of a luxurious private residence built in the early 1st century AD. Notably, one of its rooms features exquisite wall paintings.

Trail Details

Starting Point: Wadi Musa/Main Trail/Obelisk Tomb

Endpoint: Petra/ez Zantur

Category: Heritage/Environmental/Geological

Distance: 4.8 Km/6299 Steps

Calories Burn: 252 Calories

Duration: 2.45 - 3.00 Hours/Non-stop

Grade: Moderate

Tour: One-way

The Obelisk Tomb and Bab as Siq Triclinium

Upon passing the Djinn blocks, you'll encounter the Obelisk Tomb and Bab as-Siq Triclinium, crafted by the Nabataeans in the 1st century AD. The Obelisk Tomb derives its name from the four obelisks adorning its upper section. These obelisks, originally around 7 meters tall, were erected as funerary symbols by the Nabataeans. The eroded human figure situated in the niche atop the tomb, alongside the four obelisks, is thought to symbolize the five individuals interred within. Beneath lies a Nabataean triclinium, comprising three small chambers where it's believed gatherings were held to honor the deceased.

Al Madras  

Al-Madras, meaning "oil press" in Arabic, is situated atop the mountain to the left of the Siq. It encompasses the remnants of various structures, including a high place, tricliniums, an oil press, an open-air stibadium, and water cisterns. Once serving as a Nabataean agricultural suburb near the Siq, Al-Madras is accessible via long flights of steps. Positioned parallel to the Siq in the south, it holds significance as one of Petra's primary suburbs. Despite the passage of time, Al-Madras still retains its Nabataean name, with an inscription found in one of its tricliniums referencing Dushares as the god of Al-Madras.

The two obelisks   

The two obelisks, standing just over 6 meters in height, can be found along this trail. They are aligned in an east-west direction, with a distance of about 30 meters between them. Crafted by carving into the mountaintop, they suggest a representation of either one deity or two deities.

The Renaissance Tomb   

The Renaissance Tomb is the most remarkable and beautiful tomb in Wadi Farasa. Its graceful facade is crowned with a gable featuring three funerary urns at the corners, bordered by Nabataean engaged pilasters. Inside, there are rock-carved loculi that remained unused for burial purposes. Dating back to possibly the 2nd century AD, this tomb's interior was excavated in 2003, uncovering 14 graves cut into the floor. Despite most of the graves being looted during the medieval era, remnants such as bones, pottery, and coins were unearthed. Notably, two graves contained inscribed tombstones, with one bearing the inscription 'Taymu, son of Wahabillahy'. Evidence suggests that construction of the Renaissance Tomb likely commenced around the third quarter of the 1st century AD.

The High Place of Sacrifice  

Like several other Semitic cultures, the Nabataeans also engaged in worshipping their deities at open-air high places, where sacrificial rituals were performed. This particular Nabataean high place consists of a rectangular courtyard featuring three carved benches known as a 'triclinium', along with a central low table believed to have been the ceremonial master's seat. An altar is positioned to the west, where baetyls, symbolic stone blocks representing gods, were likely placed. Adjacent to the altar lies a platform housing a carved circular basin, likely utilized for rainwater collection for purification purposes, alongside a cup-shaped recess with a drainage system to dispose of sacrificial animal blood. From the High Place of Sacrifice, visitors can enjoy sweeping panoramic views encompassing Petra, Wadi Musa, and Aaron’s tomb.

The Lion Fountain

The lion fountain, located along the sacred route from Wadi Al Farasa to the high place, served as a public drinking fountain. Water appeared to spout from the lion's mouth and was directed down the hillside through a visible rock-cut channel alongside the stairway. Carved above the lion's head was a channel to receive water from the Ayn Braq spring, situated along the mountain slope on the way to Taybeh, approximately 4 kilometers above Petra. The water collected in a basin and then flowed down to a large cistern at the base of the mountain.

The Garden Hall  

Found in Wadi Al Farasa, this small chamber features two columns surrounded by pilasters. A cistern measuring 4 m wide by 4 m long, covered by vaults, was fed water from a larger upper reservoir. Adjacent to the structure is an open space believed to have functioned as a garden irrigated by the cistern's water. Therefore, it is likely that the Garden Hall was utilized as a residence for the guardian overseeing the water cistern along the pathway to the High Place.

Roman Soldier's Tomb  

The Roman Soldier Tomb complex in Wadi Farasa, carved into rock, is named after a Roman-style bust portraying a military figure. Its facade resembles that of the urn tomb, featuring porticoes, two-story buildings, and a triclinium opposite the entrance, accessible through a large courtyard. The well-proportioned facade is adorned with engaged pilasters and columns framing three niches, with a male figure statue in military attire in the central niche, accompanied by two attendants. Presumably, the three statues on the facade depict a family portrait, with the father in the middle and his sons or male relatives on either side. Inside, the tomb holds several niches, likely for burial purposes. Recent excavations by the International Wadi Farasa Project revealed that the courtyard was built in the Nabataean period, approximately during the second half of the 1st century AD, and was remodeled in the Roman period.

The Nabataean Mansion on ez-Zantur

Excavations at the Nabataean mansion on Ez-Zantur commenced in the 1990s by the University of Basel and continued through the early 2000s. The site represents the remains of an opulent Nabataean private residence constructed in the early 1st century AD. Its layout is reminiscent of Hellenistic Greek architecture, featuring a central courtyard surrounded by reception rooms and servant quarters, as well as a section allocated for the homeowner's personal use. This private area, situated along the mansion's southern edge, comprises a central vestibule flanked by two grand chambers. These rooms, all boasting stone-paved floors, were adorned with ornate stucco and wall paintings imitating colorful paneled masonry. A notable architectural feature is a smaller, centrally located room adorned with elaborate wall paintings depicting imaginative, illusionistic interpretations of classical architecture. This artistic style, prevalent in Pompeii and Rome during the Augustan age (31 BC–14 AD), has been adapted locally at Ez-Zantur. In contrast to Roman examples, the paintings here are confined to a narrow section of the lower wall.