'Asēt
'Asēt (Isis) was an Egyptian goddess who was worshipped by many people in the ancient world, including the Nabateans. The Nabateans were an Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and the southern Levant, and who established a prosperous trading kingdom with its capital at Petra. 'Asēt was one of the foreign deities that the Nabateans adopted into their polytheistic religion, along with Baʿal Samay (Baʿalšamīn), Tyche and Dionysus. 'Asēt was revered as a goddess of magic, healing, motherhood and protection. She was often depicted with a throne on her head, a solar disk between horns, or wings. She was sometimes associated with the goddesses Allāt and ʿAṯtar-Ɣṯy (Atargatis) by the Nabateans. 'Asēt had a temple in Petra, where she was worshipped by both locals and foreigners. She also had shrines in other Nabatean cities, such as Hegra and Bosra. 'Asēt was popular among the Nabatean women, who invoked her for fertility and childbirth. She was also patroness of sailors and merchants, who sought her blessing for their journeys.
Worship by the Nabateans
'Asēt was an Egyptian goddess of magic, healing, and motherhood who was very popular in the ancient world. She was adopted by the Nabateans, an ancient Arab nation that ruled over Petra and other parts of Arabia and the Levant. The Nabateans were polytheistic and they worshipped their gods at temples, high places, and baytels (stone blocks representing deities). They were mostly aniconic and preferred to decorate their sacred places with geometric designs.
One of the most important temples where 'Asēt was worshipped in Petra was the Temple of the Winged Lions, located in the so-called Sacred Quarter, opposite the Qasr al-Bint temple. The temple was built during the reign of King Aretas IV (9 BCE–40 CE) and was likely dedicated to the supreme goddess figure of the Nabateans, who may have been identified with 'Asēt. The temple had a large double colonnade leading to a cella (inner chamber) with twelve columns topped with winged lion figures, giving the temple its modern name. The cella also had a raised platform and altar with niches for religious figurines and offerings. The temple was decorated with stucco, marble, plaster, and colorful paintings depicting scenes of initiation and ritual². The temple also had workshops for producing various goods for the temple and for export. The temple was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 363 CE.
'Asēt was one of the most popular deities among the Nabateans, who integrated her into their own belief system and culture. She was seen as a protector, healer, and mother figure who could grant blessings and favours to Her devotees. She was also associated with other Nabatean goddesses such as Alʿuzza and Allāt. 'Asēt was also linked to other foreign goddesses such as ʿAṯtar-Ɣṯy, Aphrodite, and Athena.