Tower, Umm ar-Rasas

The salient feature of Umm ar-Rasas stands about a mile (1.5 kilometers) north of the walled ruins. Interpreted to be a Stylite tower, the soaring structure served as a platform for Christian ascetics living in isolation at the top as well as an altar for a call to prayer. Ornamented with carved Christian symbols on all four sides, the square pillar endures in the distance as evidence of the once flourishing community established in the Byzantine era as a center for spiritual enlightenment.