Archaeologists Stunned to Find Secret 2,000-Year-Old Tomb Underneath the Treasury Building in Petra
The towering cliffs of Petra in Jordan, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, have long left researchers and movie fans utterly fascinated. The sandstone cliffs appeared in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in 1989. Like a scene from a movie, in recent times, the city of Petra became a site of a real-life discovery. Dr Pearce Paul Creasman, executive director of the American Center of Research, along with a team of archaeologists, uncovered 12 human skeletons and a collection of artifacts beneath Petra’s Khazneh or “Treasury.” The remains are said to be at least 2,000 years old, as reported by CNN.
The Discovery Under the “Khazneh”
After discovering the ‘unbelievable,’ Creasman invited Josh Gates, host of Discovery Channel’s “Expedition Unknown.” “This is a hugely rare discovery — in the two centuries that Petra has been investigated by archaeologists, nothing like this has been found before. Even in front of one of the most famous buildings in the world … there are still huge discoveries to be made,” Gates said. Creasman employed ground penetrating radar to confirm the positions of the additional tombs in the site. The data his team gathered matched the data collected from the regions where the tombs had been found in the past, and the Jordan government then approved the excavation beneath the Petra site.
The Findings Under the Site
The Khazneh is located near the main entrance of Petra city and is believed to be at least 2,000 years old, according to Popular Mechanics. The team successfully found the tomb and was in for a surprise when they opened it. They unveiled several remains and artifacts from inside the tomb. It is an interesting turn of events, as most tombs in this ancient city have been found empty for a long time. The team discovered around 12 sets of skeletal remains, with many having mold on them due to the porous sandstone, which allows moisture to enter the space in that flood-prone region. The team also found a mix of bronze, iron, and ceramic artifacts. It included one ceramic chalice in the arms of one of the deceased, ironically similar to the “Holy Grail” found in the movie. “It really was this awesome moment of history imitating art,” Gates remarked.
What Researchers are Expecting
The striking mausoleum was carved into the sandstone cliffs, which attracted tourists for many years. However, accurately dating this monument has been difficult as any finds within the tombs could help narrow the timeline. “We were hopeful to find anything that might tell us more about the ancient people and place — human remains can be a really valuable tool in that regard,” Creasman explained. “The burials in this tomb are articulated, so the bones haven’t been rummaged around and moved, so that’s exceedingly rare.” Studying the remains and artifacts found from the recently discovered tomb can help researchers gain more insight into the Khazneh and the lives of the Nabataeans, ancient Arabic nomads, who once walked the same lands. “I think learning who they are is really going to help unlock part of the story of the Treasury,” concluded Gates.