page_title: Nefesh
section_title: Nabataea
hierarchical_section_title: Nefesh / Nabataea
caption_attribution_description: English: Obelisk Tomb and Bab el-Siq Triclinium, Petra, Jordan Français&#160;: Le tombeau aux Obélisques et le Triclinium corinthien à Pétra en Jordanie
context_page_description: A nefesh is a Semitic monument placed near a grave so as to be seen from afar.
context_section_description: In a Nabataean votive inscription from Salkhad, an Aramaic heap of stones set up in memorial is described as "for Allat and her wgr", a term equated to the Hasaitic nephesh. In Sabean, this term could mean a tumulus above a tomb, while in Arabic this term could indicate a grotto or a tomb. The term nephesh is also linked to the Greek stele.
  An aniconic culture, the Nabataean representation of deities lacked figural imagery. Related to betyls, nepheshes served as aniconic memorial markers for the dead. Unlike the Israelite prohibition of the graven image, Nabataean aniconism allows anthropomorphic representation of deities but demonstrates a preference for non- figural imagery. Betyls are one form of Nabataean aniconic sculpture. Often explained as representations of Dushara, the central Nabataean deity, betyls occur in a wide variety of shapes, groupings, and niches. This variety suggests that betyls may be representative of other deities as well.
  The Nabataean nephesh is a standing stone, obeliskoid in shape, often featuring a blossom/pinecone or stylized crown on the top. Roughly carved or engraved in bas-relief, these structures are often set upon a base that bears the name of the deceased. Occurring outside and inside tombs,some are engraved near or in votive niches.However, many nepheseshes can be found unconnected from tombs, and many line the paths to Petra or along other protruding rock faces such as those of the Siq. An example of this type of funerary marker can be found in the Obelisk Tomb and Bab el-Siq Triclinium, Petra, Jordan.
caption: Obelisk Tomb and Bab el-Siq Triclinium, Petra, Jordan.
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