az-Zurrabah Nabatean Reservoir in Ma'an Governorate

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  Jesús Díaz

  :: 11 February 2018 20:18:00

  Being located right next to the visitors parking lot, az-Zurrabah Resevoir could be the first Nabatean monument you see in Petra. It provides a good introduction to the complex water engineering techniques of the Nabateans. This reservoir belonged to Petra’s ancient water supply system. It stored water for residential use year round. The water will flow through elevated clay pipes in channels around the flank of Jabal al-Khubtha. These pipes ran behind the Royal Tombs into a nearby basin and then into Petra’s city center. This reservoir is a double cistern partially carved into the rock. You can see the service staircase (see review images). Also, there is a channel that brought water into the reservoir from the springs of Musa further to the East. Az-Zurrabah was in use during the Nabatean, Roman and early Byzantine periods.