The Zibb Attuf Obelisks, Petra, Jordan.
Posted by: 
greysman
N 30° 19.212 E 035° 26.880
36R E 735377 N 3356806
Two obelisks left when the surrounding mountain top was removed.
Waymark Code: WMDHFJ
Location: Jordan
Date Posted: 01/17/2012
Views: 26
The High Place of Sacrifice in Petra is one of those 'must-see' sites in what is already a 'must-see' site. It is at the very top of a mountain and if you want to see it you must climb the 800+ or so steps to get there. These steps were carved out of the rock by the Nabateans and twist and turn starting just to the south of the Amphitheatre, first at one side of the narrow gulley, the Wadi al-Mahfur, then at the other, with overhangs and S-bends, all the time climbing upwards towards the light. If you are adventurous, and don't care about the donkey, you can always use one of the local's animals, but watch those corners and overhangs!
As you climb the steps take a good look around. Near the bottom of the stairs there are some exposure platforms. Further up trace where the ancient stairs and processional path went, and in places the typical hatching of the engineer's tools looking like wind-blown sand strata.
At the top of the stairs you come to a large, flat open area, in Bedouin the Zibb Attuf or the Phallus of Mercy, (sometimes also called Amud Attuf, the Column of Mercy), where you will find the two obelisks. They are over 6 meters high and appear to be carved out of solid rock but in reality the whole of the top of this ridge was removed leaving the obelisks. They have been dated as Nabataean, one of them still has the typical Nabataean style of hatching (etching) on the side that is protected from the prevailing winds. They probably represent the chief male and female deities, Dushara and al-Uzza, who are represented in lots of other Nabatean stone carvings and stelae throughout the Middle East where the Nabateans had influence. Dushara is the lord of the mountains and was adopted from the Edomite god whilst al-Uzza is the powerful one.
Behind and higher up the mountain than the obelisks are the ruins of what may have been a Crusader fort or a Nabatean structure over the steps leading up to the ceremonial area, al-Madhbah, some 170m above the plains below.
Date Created/Placed: unknown, most probably BC
Address:
Zibb Attuf, Petra, Jordan.
Height: 6m
Illuminated: no
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Give a narrative of your experience. What did you think of the obelisk? Did you learn anything? Photos are always welcome too. Please no virtual visits.