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Khirbet et-Tannur

Not to be confused with Khirbat al-Tannur, a Palestinian depopulated village.
Khirbet et-Tannur
خربة التنور
Khirbet et-Tannur temple ruins
Khirbet et-Tannur is located in Jordan
Khirbet et-Tannur
Shown within Jordan
Coordinates30°58′07″N 35°42′23″E / 30.96861°N 35.70639°E / 30.96861; 35.70639
History
Materialmainly limestone; also flint[1]
CulturesNabataean, with archaising Edomite elements[2]
Site notes
ArchaeologistsNelson Glueck (1937)
Conditionin ruins
Public accessyes; reliefs in Jordan Archaeological Museum in Amman and the Cincinnati Art Museum[3]

Khirbet et-Tannur (Arabic: خربة التنور) is an ancient Nabataean temple situated on top of Mount Tannur, in today's Jordan. Whom the temple was dedicated to is not yet certain; based on the iconography of the deities depicted, it was either the fertility goddess Atargatis and Zeus-Hadad, or perhaps other Nabataean gods with similar attributes.[3] The only inscription which mentioned a deity was in reference to the Edomite god Qos, who was the equivalent of the Arab god Quzah, the god of the sky.[4]

Etymology

Khirbet means ruins in Arabic, and tannur means oven. Khirbet, as well as the definite article, can be transliterated with an e or an a, and the article with an l or a t, so we can have Khirbet et-Tannur, Khirbet el-Tannur, Khirbat at-Tannur, Khirbat al-Tannur, sometimes also ...Tannour, the article can be left out, etc.

Layout and purpose

The remains of Khirbet et-Tannur consists only of the temple complex on an isolated mountain top, which indicate a site solely functioning as a religious high place similar to those in other Nabataean regions.[5]

A steep path approaching from the south-east along the ridge was the only accessway.[3] The temple was surrounded by walls enclosing a paved court or temenos, which contained a structure, called by the researchers "the Inner Temenos Enclosure" (ITE), set behind its own walls, where the monumental altar platform stood under the open sky.[3][6] The (outer) temenos was flanked by rooms.[3]

Jebel et-Tannur or Mount Tannur rises at the confluence of two valleys, the larger Wadi Hasa and Wadi La'ban.

Construction phases

While no dating is established, the temple went through three different phases. The earliest phase of the temple is usually dated around 8-7 BC on the account of an inscription engraved on a small stone block.[7] The final phase was dated by Nelson Glueck judging from the temple's sculptures and architectural principles to about the first quarter of the second century AD.[8]

Nabataean sculpture of eagle wrestling with serpent. In J. McKenzie's reconstruction, it was placed above the female deity relief (see photo here below)[9]

Rituals

Nabataean depiction of either Atargatis or, according to R. Wenning, a personification of Ayn La'ban spring; from tympanum over main entrance to the Inner Temenos Enclosure[9]

A study of ceramics, animal bones and charred plant remains has shown social memories were created through various eating and drinking practices.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Khirbet et-Tannur Construction Techniques. Accessed 5 April 2024.
  2. ^ Juan Manuel Tebes: "Beyond Petra: Nabataean Cultic and Mortuary Practices and the Cultural Heritage of the Negev and Edom" in Jordan Journal for History and Archaeology 14(4), January 2020, pp. 333-347. Accessed 5 April 2024 via ResearchGate.net.
  3. ^ a b c d e Mckenzie, Judith S.; Gibson, Sheila; Reyes, A. T. (2002). "Reconstruction of the Nabataean Temple Complex at Khirbet et-Tannur", PEQ, 134:1, pp. 44-83, doi:10.1179/peq.2002.134.1.44. (4/2024: no online access, except 1st page here.)
  4. ^ Jean Starcky (1966) p. 987-998.
  5. ^ Nelson Glueck (1937c), p. 364
  6. ^ 3D reconstruction of the temple of Khirbet et-Tannur reproduced by permission of Cale Staley, via J. M. Tebes: Beyond Petra... at ResearchGate.net. Accessed 5 April 2024.
  7. ^ The religious life of Nabataea p. 244-245
  8. ^ Mckenzie et al. 2002a p.53.
  9. ^ a b Khirbet et-Tannur: Vegetation Goddess at Universes in Universe (UiU). Accessed 5 April 2024.
  10. ^ Kamash, Zena (2018-10-03). "'Sweet and Delicious, he who Tastes it Will Go Back to it': Food, Memory and Religion in the Roman Middle East". Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal. 1 (1): 7. doi:10.16995/traj.146. ISSN 2515-2289.

Further reading

  • 2013. J. McKenzie, J. Greene, A.T. Reyes, et al., The Nabataean Temple at Khirbet et-Tannur, Jordan,Volume 1. Architecture and Religion, Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research 67.[1]
  • 2013. J. McKenzie, J. Greene, A.T. Reyes, et al., The Nabataean Temple at Khirbet et-Tannur, Jordan,Volume 2. Cultic Offerings, Vessels, and Other Specialist Reports, Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research 68.
  1. ^ Nehmé, Laïla (2015). "Review of: The Nabataean Temple at Khirbet et-Tannur, Jordan. Volume 1: Architecture and Religion. Volume 2: Cultic Offerings, Vessels, and Other Specialist Reports. Final Report on Nelson Glueck's 1937 Excavation. Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research, 67-68". Bryn Mawr Classical Review. ISSN 1055-7660.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khirbet_et-Tannur