Nabataean Temple

Wadi Rum


On a small hill in Rum village, about 400m behind the Rest House (follow the telephone poles), are the limited ruins of a 2000-year-old temple, dedicated to the deity Lat. Inside the Rest House an information board describes the temple and its excavation. The ruins are important because they are evidence of a permanent Nabataean settlement, built on the earlier foundations of a temple built by the Arab tribe of Ad.

The baths in a villa behind the temple are the earliest so far discovered in Jordan. Near the temple are some inscriptions by hunters and nomads dating back to the 2nd century BC.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Wadi Rum attractions

1. Lawrence’s Spring

0.44 MILES

This spring, on the edge of the open sands, is a regular stop on the 4WD circuit. Alternatively, it can be reached on a soft sand hike from the Rest House…

2. Jebel Rum

0.84 MILES

The western flank of Wadi Rum is formed by Jebel Rum (1754m), which towers over Rum village. It is a popular destination for scramblers and climbers who…

3. Rakhabat Canyon

1.29 MILES

Close to Rum village, the labyrinthine siqs of Rakhabat Canyon give access to the heart of Jebel Umm Al Ishrin.

4. Ain Abu Aineh

1.85 MILES

Often mistaken for Lawrence’s Spring, the ‘Father of Aineh Spring’ is piped down the mountain into a large tank for Bedouin sheep, goats and camels. Look…

5. Kharazeh Canyon

2.15 MILES

Kharazeh Canyon, one of the mighty incisions in Jebel Umm Al Ishrin, is a popular hiking destination. Guides and agencies offer a day hike (around seven…

6. Jebel Umm Al Ishrin

2.22 MILES

The deeply crevassed ‘Mother of Twenty’, a 20-domed mountain forming the east flank of Wadi Rum, is connected to the Seven Pillars of Wisdom formation…

7. Al Hasany Dunes

2.31 MILES

While there are dunes in several places around Wadi Rum, the most striking are the red sands that bank up against Jebel Umm Ulaydiyya. If you are on a 4WD…

8. Anfaishiyya Inscriptions

2.76 MILES

The Anfaishiyya inscriptions are scratched into the smooth surface of a huge, vertical rock face.