Tomb of the physician Kahlân

The tomb of the physician Kahlân, also known as IGN 44, is located on the eastern side of the Qasr al-Bint outcrop. The cliff here is much higher and steeper than other outcrops at Hegra. In order to achieve the desired height of the tomb, the craftsmen who carved it had to carve the base some 5m back from the cliff face. The tomb dates to about 26/27 CE, when the Nabataean kingdom was under the rule of “Aretas, king of the Nabataeans who loves his people”.
It is one of the more elaborate tombs at Hegra, with Nabataeo-Corinthian capitals and Egyptian and Greco-Roman features. At the top of the coping sits an eagle and at the corners are urns, symbols that reflect the funerary character of the monument. The eagle is treated figuratively, which differs from many of the eagles found at Hegra which evoke the details of wings and the feathers. Within the triangular pediment, the face of a god is depicted, which may represent the Mesopotamian deity Humbaba or Egyptian deity Bes. On either side are snakes. These symbols may have been carved here to offer protection for the tomb and its inhabitants, possibly as a warning to looters.
The tomb provides interesting clues as to how it was carved. Differences in the carving between the right and left sides, including slightly different sizings and angles, suggest that the façade is the work of at least two specialists. They are committing to the same design but clearly have their own technical habits and methods.