289-299

• Λυριτζής, Ιωάννης
• Al-Otaibi, Fahad Mutlaq
• Castro, B
• Δριβαλιάρη, Νίκη

Thirty two rock cut tombs are studied, from Petra in Jordan) and Madaa’in Saleh (Hegra) in northern Saudi Arabia. Satellite images were used from Google Earth and its accessory facilities on compass and slope evaluation. Some comparison of orientations were made with in situ compass and total station reading. There is not an apparent predominate orientation, even though striking directions are found (due south, mostly western, some eastern) which at any rate are related to sunrise, sunset and sun’s orbit, at solar stands (equinoctial, solstitial) when sun light could enter tombs’ entrance of the magnificent sculptured facades. Tombs are rather made by wealthy chiefs and officers, and any definite conclusion on deliberate orientation is without a strong argument. Google earth positions compared to in situ measurements present an error of c.2o.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία
• Architecture and history
• Imaging systems in archaeology

Nabateans, tombs, Hellenistic, astronomy, orientation, azimuth, sunrise, sunset, hegra, petra, google maps, Madaa’in Saleh, architecture

Corresponding author: I.Liritzis ([email protected])

1. Al-Otaibi, F.M. (2015) Nabataean Ethnicity: Emic Perspective. Mediterranean Archaeology & Archaeometry 15, 2, 293-303.Al-Otaibi, F.M. (2011) From Nabataea to Roman Arabia: Conquest or Acquisition? BAR, Oxford.Al-Otaibi, F.M. (2013) Social Control in Hegra in the Light of Nabataea Inscriptions. Saudi Historical Society, 1-13Alzoubi, M, Hussein Al Qudrah (2015) Nabataean practices for tombs protection Mediterranean Archaeology & Archaeometry, Vol.15, No.3, 1-7 (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18353)Belmonte J. A, César González-García, A and Polcaro, A (2013) Light and Shadows over Petra: astronomy and landscape in Nabataean lands. Nexus Network Journal, 15, 487-501Bowers, S (2006) The cult of Dushara and the Roman annexation of Nabatea. MSc Thesis McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.Castro B.M, Liritzis, I and Nyquist, A (2015) Oracular Functioning And Architecture Of Five Ancient Apollo Temples Through Archaeastronomy: Novel Approach And Interpretation Nexus Network Journal, Architecture & Mathematics (in press) (DOI:10.1007/s00004-015-0276-2)Haddad, N.A (2015) Notes on Nabataean construction techniques: a critical review and investigation of el-Khazneh slots function. Mediterranean Archaeology & Archaeometry, Vol.15, No.3, 17-30 (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18355)Liritzis, I. and Castro, B (2013) Delphi and Cosmovision: Apollo’s Absence at the Land of the Hyperboreans and the Time for Consulting the Oracle. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage 16 (2): 184–206.Mustafa, M.H, Abu Tayeh, S.N (2014) Comments on Bedouin funeral rites in the writings of western travel-ers and explorers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries Mediterranean Archaeology and Archae-ometry, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 51-63Mahdi Abdelaziz and Shaher Rababeh (2008) The Terminology Used to Describe Tombs in the Nabataean Inscriptions and its Architectural Context. Levant , Vol. 40 No 2, 195-201.Paradise T. (2015) Architectural orientation and Earth-Sun Relationships in Petra, Jordan: A preliminary analysis of the principal tombs and structures. Annual of the Dept of Antiquities of Jordan, 58, 1-6.Schnidt-Collinet, A (1991) Aspects of ‘Hellenism’ in Nabatean and Palmerene funerary architecture. Hellen-ism in East. International Meeting of History and Architecture, Proceedings of 1st Intern. Archaeo-logical Conference, Delphi 6-9 Nov 1986, European Cultural Center of Delphi, Athens, Greece, 131-144.Sukenik, Eleazar Lipa (2007) The Ancient Synagogue of Beth Alpha. New Jersey: Georgias Press.Wenning, R (2001) The Betyls of Petra. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 324, 79-95.