A team of archaeologists has made a very exciting discovery under the famous Treasury in Petra, Jordan—a hidden tomb containing 12 skeletons and ancient artifacts that are over 2,000 years old. This rare discovery could help answer some questions about the ancient city of Petra, which was built by the Nabataeans around the 4th century BC.
This discovery was made by Dr. Pearce Paul Creasman and his team from the American Center of Research. They used advanced technology, like ground-penetrating radar, to find the hidden tomb deep under the Treasury. The Treasury is a famous landmark, and researchers have been looking for hidden rooms there for many years, but they only recently got permission to start digging.
Inside the tomb, archaeologists found 12 skeletons along with items made from bronze, iron, and ceramics. One of the most interesting items was a ceramic cup that looks very much like the Holy Grail—the cup that, according to legend, Jesus used at the Last Supper. This is interesting because the Treasury was used as a filming location in the 1989 movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in a scene where the Holy Grail is being searched for.
Finding human remains in Petra is very rare. Many of the tombs in the city have been looted or damaged, so finding a tomb with 12 intact skeletons is a big deal. According to Dr. Creasman, these remains could provide important clues about the Nabataeans, the people who built Petra. The team hopes to study the skeletons further, including conducting DNA tests, to learn more about their health, diet, and way of life.
It’s also significant that the tomb was found directly under the Treasury, which suggests that the people buried there were very important. The tomb’s location at the entrance of Petra, along with its unique structure, indicates that these individuals held a high status in Nabataean society.
Josh Gates, the host of the Discovery Channel show Expedition Unknown, was at the site during the excavation and called this discovery “hugely rare.” He pointed out that although archaeologists have been studying Petra for 200 years, major discoveries like this are still happening.
The Nabataeans were an ancient Arab civilization famous for their great engineering and trade systems. Petra was an important city in their desert kingdom, and the Treasury is one of its most well-known buildings. However, historians still argue about what the Treasury was originally for. Some believe it was a royal tomb, while others think it served a different purpose.
This new discovery might help answer some of those questions. The tomb and the artifacts inside offer a rare sight into how the Nabataeans lived and how they buried their dead. As researchers continue to study the site, they hope to learn more about the people who once lived in Petra.
While the tomb has shown some amazing discoveries, this is just the start. Dr. Creasman and his team plan to keep digging in Petra and hope to find more things. They also want to study the skeletons more to learn about who they were and why they are important.
Petra, also known as the “Rose City” because of its pink sandstone cliffs, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. It attracts millions of tourists every year. But this latest discovery shows that even in such a famous city, there are still many secrets waiting to be uncovered.
As Dr. Creasman says, “People think they know everything about Petra. But everyone walks through here, and there is still so much beneath our feet.”
This discovery could open new chapters in Petra’s history, helping us better understand the Nabataean civilization and their grand city.