Khirbet edh-Dharih

A Nabataean village and sanctuary in a spring-fed valley beside the King’s Highway

Plan your visit Explore it in 360°

RebuiltAbout AD 100

SanctuaryAbout 110 × 45 m

LocationKing’s Highway

AccessFree · fenced

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Travel Guides Nabataean Kingdom Roman Period Part of Jordan’s Nabataean Temples

Introduction

Travellers and pilgrims found water, lodgings and a temple crowned with the signs of the zodiac.

In a green valley fed by springs, beside the old road from Petra to Damascus, stand the ruins of a Nabataean village and its sanctuary. Khirbet edh-Dharih lies in Wadi al-La’aban beside the King’s Highway, north-east of Tafila, about 7 km south of the hilltop temple of Khirbet et-Tannur.

Around AD 100 the village was rebuilt on a grand scale, with a decorated temple, a caravanserai and baths. Its temple façade carried a frieze of the zodiac, now in The Jordan Museum in Amman. The site is fenced, with a gate but no guard or ticket office, and entry is free.

Best timeOct–May

Time needed30–40 min

TicketFree

From Amman170 km · 2 hr

Combine withKhirbet et-Tannur · 15 min

Google rating3.9 · Reviews

Highlights · A Nabataean sanctuary

A temple, a platform and an oil press

Five things to look for at Khirbet edh-Dharih

Dharih is a quiet ruin in a green valley. These are the places that make the visit.

The sanctuary of Khirbet edh-Dharih, Khirbet edh-Dharih, Jordan

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01 · Sanctuary

The temple

A temple about 15 m high, partly reassembled from its original blocks.

Look closely

The reassembled columns.

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Part by part

What to see

Five parts of the visit: the temple, the central platform, the village around it, the olive press and the carved decoration. Pick one to see what to look for.

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01 · The sanctuary

See the temple

The sanctuary, about 110 × 45 m, is laid out in successive courtyards leading to the temple, which stood about 15 m high. Its outer form was classical, but its decoration was local.

Parts of the temple were reassembled from their original blocks by the French–Jordanian mission that excavated the site from 1984 to 2013.

About 110 × 45 mAbout 15 m highReassembled

Look for

The courtyards in front of the temple
The reassembled columns
The view along the valley

Dig deeperWhich god?

The deity worshipped at Dharih is not known. In the 6th century Christians resettled the village and turned the temple into a church.

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Column drums of the temple, Khirbet edh-Dharih, Jordan

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02 · Inside the temple

Find the platform

Inside the temple, a raised platform about 6.8 m square was surrounded by columns with lion-headed capitals.

Look for the column drums and bases still in place around it.

About 6.8 m squareLion-headed capitals

Look for

The column drums around the platform
The steps of the platform

The village around the sanctuary, Khirbet edh-Dharih, Jordan

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03 · Around the sanctuary

Walk through the village

Around the sanctuary lay a caravanserai of about 30 × 20 m with shops and stables, a heated bath, about 20 houses and two cemeteries.

Dharih was the third caravan stop north of Petra on the road to Damascus, and pilgrims to Khirbet et-Tannur probably stayed here.

CaravanseraiHeated bathAbout 20 houses

Look for

The house walls
The outline of the caravanserai
The springs of the valley

A press stone, Khirbet edh-Dharih, Jordan

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04 · Village life

See the olive press

Houses in the village had olive presses, and a large press stone still lies in place.

Around AD 700 the site became a Muslim estate, until an 8th-century earthquake.

Olive pressFarming village

Look for

The round press stone
The basins of the press

Carved decoration from the temple, Khirbet edh-Dharih, Jordan

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05 · Carved stone

Look at the carvings

The temple façade carried a frieze of the signs of the zodiac, each crowned by a winged Victory. Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Libra and part of Sagittarius survive and are now in The Jordan Museum in Amman.

On site, carved blocks show the same plant scrolls and mouldings.

Zodiac friezeThe Jordan Museum

Look for

Plant scrolls on the carved blocks
Mouldings from the temple façade

History & significance

A sanctuary on the caravan road

A Nabataean village grew up here in the late 1st century BC and was rebuilt on a grand scale around AD 100. Abandoned after the earthquake of AD 363, it was resettled by Christians and later became a Muslim estate.

Late 1st c. BCA Nabataean village and small sanctuary
About AD 100Rebuilt with temple, caravanserai and baths
About AD 363Abandoned, probably after the earthquake
6th c. ADChristians turn the temple into a church
About AD 700A Muslim estate, until an 8th-century earthquake
AD 1984–2013French–Jordanian excavations

ProfileKhirbet edh-Dharih: the full storyThe history, the zodiac frieze and the village of Khirbet edh-Dharih.Read the profile →

Plan your visit

Everything you need to know before you go

The site lies in Wadi al-La’aban beside the King’s Highway, north-east of Tafila, about 7 km south of Khirbet et-Tannur. It is fenced, with a gate but no guard or ticket office.

Good to know: the site is fenced, with a gate but no guard. The ground is uneven, with loose blocks.

Opening hoursOpen accessFenced, with a gate · no guard

Entry ticketFreeNo ticket office

Time to visit30–40 minAbout 30–40 minutes

From Amman170 kmAbout 2 hours by road

LocationKing’s Highway30.9075° N, 35.7029° EGet directions

Opening hours and prices checked October 2026. Spotted a change? Let us know

On site

What you’ll find at Khirbet edh-Dharih

Viewpoint

Not on site: visitor centre, ticket office, toilets, designated parking, museum, guide, food & drinks, market / shop, hotels
Access: 4x4 needed

When to go

October to May is best; the valley is green in spring.

BestGood, cooler or warmVery hot

Tip: combine Dharih with Khirbet et-Tannur and the zodiac sculptures in The Jordan Museum in Amman.

Before you go

There are no services at the site.

Good shoesUneven ground and loose blocks
WaterNo services at the site
Sun hatLittle shade

Common questions

Quick answers before you set off.

Is there an entrance fee?

No. The site is fenced, with a gate but no guard or ticket office, and entry is free.

Where is the zodiac frieze?

The surviving signs of the zodiac are in The Jordan Museum in Amman.

How long do I need?

About 30–40 minutes. Combine it with Khirbet et-Tannur, about 7 km to the north.

Can I visit on a tour?

Yes. Khirbet edh-Dharih is a stop on our King’s Highway tour from Amman to Petra.

Combine with

Dharih is on the King’s Highway between Karak and Tafila. Drive times are from Khirbet edh-Dharih.

Open the route in Google Maps

Khirbet et-TannurNabataean temple7 km · ~15 min drive 2

Karak CastleCrusader castle35 km · ~40 min drive · Our tour3

SelaEdomite fortress45 km · ~50 min drive 4

Qal’at Al-HasaHajj fort45 km · ~50 min drive 5

Dana Biosphere ReserveNature reserve50 km · ~50 min drive

Tour 1 King’s Highway to Petra. Compare the tours

Private tours

A private day tour that includes Khirbet edh-Dharih

The tour is just for you: your own vehicle and driver, hotel pickup in Amman and entry tickets included. The price depends on how many travellers there are, up to three.

Private: only your group

Your own vehicle & driver

Hotel pick-up in Amman

Entry tickets included

Best of King’s Highway from Amman to Petra

from$330per group (1–3) · 235 JOD

Tour 1 · Full day · Private

Best of King’s Highway from Amman to Petra

While Petra and Amman are among Jordan’s most famous destinations, the journey between them along the historic King’s Highway is filled with extraordinary landscapes, ancient monuments, and hidden archaeological treasures. This private one-way tour transforms a simple transfer into an unforgettable full-day exploration of Jordan’s history, culture, and natural beauty.

Crusader castlesNabataean sitesOne way to Petra8 stops4x4

Duration12–13 hr

Pick-up8 AM

Group1–3, private

Included