Nabataean Quarry

Jebel al-Madhbah, Petra

The quarry, with its two standing obelisks, is situated across a gorge from the High Place. Its location seems incredibly awkward - why would you want to climb a mountain just to cut rocks? - but there it is. An entire hilltop has been leveled. If this is a quarry, where were the rocks used? The obelisks are sometimes taken to represent Dushara and his consort al-'Uzza.