Urn Tomb

The Urn Tomb stands high on the cliffside, marked by a massive courtyard enclosed by two stories of vaulted arches. Carved into the sandstone in the first century, this structure served as a royal tomb for the Nabataean kings, perhaps King Aretas the fourth. In five hundred seventy-six, a bishop named Jason converted the interior into a cathedral, scratching an inscription into the back wall to mark the change. A metal ring hangs from the ceiling, once used to hold a lamp for the congregation.