This hilltop Nabataean fort located on the south side of Wadi Faynan commands outstanding views westwards out to the Wadi Araba, and eastwards towards the Khirbat Faynan. As such, it appears to have functioned to keep the whole region under surveillance.

Fortified structures built on the summit were approached via a rock-cut staircase from the northwest. Structures constructed along the ridge blocked any approaches from the east, and a tower protected the south side. Many fragments of high status fine-painted pottery have been found at Tell al-Mirad suggesting a close connection with the political rulers of the Nabataean state.