What religion(s) did the Nabataeans practice?
Like most ancient cultures, the Nabataeans were polytheistic, worshipping a variety of deities. The variety of their religious practices reflects their cosmopolitan society as does the variety of styles of art used in their worship. Religious beliefs were blended with those of foreign civilizations who came into contact with the Nabataeans. Among the traditional Nabataean gods was Dushara, whose name was connected to the large limestone plateau of Shera to the east of Petra. His position as king of gods allowed Nabataeans to merge him with the Greek god Zeus and later the Roman god Jupiter in a practice common to other polytheistic religions. In addition, the Nabataeans adopted the gods of the people on whose lands they settled, the Edomites. Monuments to Qaws and his consort Atargatis, goddess of the springs and vegetation, can be found at many Nabataean cities and landmarks. Other religious practices and cults were imported from neighboring lands, including the Egyptian cult of Isis,
