Djinn Block

As the Bab as-Siq narrows, three curious monuments stand solid sentinel, carved from the rock in the form of square towers. They are known in English as Djinn Blocks, by fanciful association with the djinn, malevolent spirits of Arab folklore...

The Arabic name for the djinn blocks, sahreej, is more prosaic for it simply means 'cistern' – which they are not. They are tower tombs, their shape suggesting that they may also have been symbols of the god Dushara, who in early Nabataean times was commonly represented as a block of stone. While they are believed to be among the earliest tombs in Petra, their date is unknown. Twenty six djinn blocks have been found in and around Petra.

These blocks are the first curiosities to be seen at Petra - Jordan.