New excavations at Al-Beidha, near the ancient city of Petra, have brought to light a set of 'ochre-stained' sandstone offering tables used by the Nabataeans for seasonal harvest rites. The tables are carved directly into the bedrock and feature channels designed to collect liquid offerings, likely wine or pomegranate juice, during the Festival of Dushara.
Dr. Amira Mansour, lead archaeologist, explains that the find bridges a gap in our understanding of Nabataean religious life outside the major urban centers. The specific use of red ochre on the ritual surfaces indicates a symbolic connection to blood and fertility, a theme that persists in local Bedouin cultural heritage and seasonal traditions that honor the 'spirit of the grape' each spring.