Ruins of the Great Temple   Petra

Based on the style of fragments found at the site, archaeologists believe the Great Temple was built in the last quarter of the 1st century BC and further enlarged in the 1st century AD. It continued to be used until the Byzantine period (5th century).

As its name indicates, the structure is generally assumed to be a temple; if so, it was probably dedicated to the principal deity of Petra, Dushara. But the discovery of a small theater or bouleuterion within the complex, combined with written records of a popular assembly in Petra during this period, leave open the possibility that it was a large palace and assembly hall.

The temple remained hidden under dust and rubble until 1992, when it was rediscovered by Brown University archaeologists. Excavation and restoration work began in 1993 and continues today.