Petra - Al-Habees Museum

The small but interesting museum is to be found in an unusual Nabataean structure with 5 windows, set into the hillside of Al-Habees. Beyond the museum, on the other side of the hill, is situated the Habees High Place.

This has all the standard facilities of a high place; an altar, benches, a water cistern and approach stairway, but on a small scale, suggesting that it was perhaps a private place of worship.

It commands breathtaking views over the Wadi Sayyagh, one of Petra's most beautiful wadis, especially in spring and autumn. Some was down the wadi is to be found a stone quarry which the Nabataeans exploited.

On the summit of Al-Habees, is situated a 12th century AD Crusader fortress. Continuing around the hillside one comes across the Columbarium, an intriguing Nabataean tomb fitted with hundreds of shallow niches, the purpose of which remains uncertain.

Shortly after this, and visible from the Qasr Al-Bint below, is the Unfinished Tomb which clearly demonstrates the Nabataeans' technique of construction, excavating their rock-cut buildings from the top and working downwards.