Archaeologists uncovered a second secret tomb found in front of the Al-Khazneh more commonly known as “the treasury” building in Petra, Jordan. Within the tomb, archaeologists found 12 unidentified skeletons as well as multiple artifacts including pottery and ceramics, according to sciencealert.com.
Petra was voted as one of the new seven wonders of the world in 2007, also being featured in the movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The city was built by the Nabateans sometime between the fourth and second century B.C., according to brown.edu.
The Nabateans were a group of nomadic people that lived in the deserts of Jordan. They built Petra to serve as a trading outpost for the various other nomadic groups who also lived in the desert. The city became very popular with the estimated population being between 20,000 to 30,000 people, according to nabataea.net.
The Nabateans quickly amassed a large amount of wealth due to the amount of trade occurring within Petra. Greece became jealous of their new found wealth and attacked Petra in 312 B.C. The Nabateans successfully fought back the Greeks despite their lack of numbers by utilizing the desert terrain. This was not the last time they were attacked as the Romans forced the Nabateans to surrender in 106 A.D., according to amnh.org.
The Romans governed the city for over 250 years before an earthquake occurred. The earthquakes destroyed parts of the city and eventually the Byzantines took control of the area. Over time, the city became abandoned and was eventually discovered in 1812 by a Swiss traveler named Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Archaeologists speculate that only 20% of the total city has been discovered, according to history.com.
The first tomb discovery in Petra was uncovered in 2003, which was a set of two tombs that were found on the left side of Al-Khazneh. Within the tomb, there were several partial skeletons and ever since the first discovery, researchers suspected that there were more tombs to be found, according to smithsonianmag.com.
The tomb found to the right of Al-Khazneh is likely to be the most famous building in Petra because of its well preserved features and sculpting. Contrary to the name, no one knows exactly what Al-Khazneh was used for, but archaeologists believe that it was used as a tomb, according to sciencealert.com.
What makes Al-Khazneh different from the other tombs that have been found in Petra is that while the recently discovered tombs have been underground, Al-Khazneh is a large monument cut into the sandstone walls, according to cnn.com.
The tomb was discovered by a team of archaeologists, including famous archaeologist and TV show host, Josh Gates. The team located the tomb using ground-penetrating radar to search for absences of earth below the surface. After locating the tomb, they began an excavation, supported by the Jordanian government, according to cnn.com.
When the excavation team finished unearthing the tomb, it was revealed that the tomb seemed to be previously opened and then resealed. Despite the countless grave robbers that came to Petra between its abandonment and its discovery in 1812, this tomb’s contents appeared undisturbed, according to discovermagazine.com.
“This is a hugely rare discovery—in the two centuries that Petra has been investigated by archaeologists, nothing like this has been found before,” Gates said in an interview with CNN. “Even in front of one of the most famous buildings in the world, there are still huge discoveries to be made.”
The 12 skeletons that were found in the tomb have yet to be identified. This task is made harder by the fact that it is still unknown whether the tomb was for royalty or citizens. The reason that it has not been determined is because of the Nabateans egalitarian government, meaning they believe everyone should have equal standing and opportunities. This means that the graves of citizens and the graves of royalty are equal to each other, according to cnn.com.
Along with the 12 skeletons that were found, there were also pieces of pottery and ceramics. Among the skeletons, one was found holding a broken top of a ceramic jug that resembled the Holy Grail from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” according to artnews.com.
“It looked nearly identical to the Holy Grail featured in ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,’ set in the ancient building directly above the tomb,” Gates said in an interview with Science Alert. “It was the ultimate moment of life imitating art."
Between the skeletons and the artifacts, there is much to be discovered about the Nabateans and their way of life. The content will also help scientists piece together the history of Al-Khazneh and Petra itself, according to cnn.com.
“It's fantastic that we now have the pottery, ecofacts and sediments to date when ‘the treasury’ was constructed," environmental scientist Tim Kinnaird said in an interview with Science Alert. "Previously we have worked on assumptions and conjectures–to have a definitive date will be a monumental achievement for us all.”
