Something mysterious happened at Petra. Just after celebrating 7 Wonders Day with a giant number 7, a hidden 2,000-year-old tomb was discovered—right where the celebration took place! Was it a coincidence, or something more?
Petra in Jordan is one of the winners of the New7Wonders of the World voting campaign on 07/07/2007.
After receiving a rare permission to excavate the iconic Petra Treasure in Jordan, a team of Jordanian and American researchers has unearthed a hidden grave under the monument, which contains 12 complete human skeletons and a collection of bronze, ceramic and iron funeral offerings. This finding could shed new light on the mysterious Nabataean civilization and answer ancient questions about this culture.
Surrounded by mountains and famous for its impressive structures carved in pink stone, Petra, a city carved into the rock by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago, gained worldwide notoriety when the Treasure, also known as Al Khazneh, appeared in the movie Indiana Jones and the last cursta in 1989. However, this recent discovery suggests that there is still much to discover under its ancient foundations.
Ground penetration radar
According to a report by Deutsche Welle, Dr. Richard Bates, a geophysicist at the University of Saint Andrews, used a ground penetration radar to detect the presence of cavities under the structure, obtaining “amazing data” that led to the discovery.
“People think they know Petra. They recognize the Treasury,” Dr. Pearce Paul Creasman, executive director of the American Research Center (ACOR) and one of the leaders of the excavation, told The New York Times. “But all these people pass by and there are many more under our feet,” he added.
The tomb, which according to the researchers could be prior to the construction of the Treasury itself, contains not only the 12 intact skeletons, but also a treasure of bronze, ceramic and iron objects. Among the most notable findings is a network of walls that divided the room, a structural feature never before seen in the ancient city.
The discovery also attracted the attention of TV host Josh Gates and his team on the program “Expedition Unknown”, who documented parts of the excavation. “The revelation of this hidden camera left us absolutely stunned,” Gates said. “Given that almost all of Petra’s tombs have been found empty, this is perhaps the most important ever found and a discovery of historical proportions”.
Curious “coincidence”
In a surprising coincidence, one of the skeletons appeared grabbing a ceramic container that, at first glance, seemed familiar.
“When we saw what looked like a chalice, we were frozen,” Gates explained. “It was almost identical to the Holy Grail that appears in Indiana Jones and the last crusade, located in the old building just above the tomb.” However, a detailed examination revealed that it was the top of a broken jug, probably from the first century BC.
Petra, capital of the Nabataean kingdom
Built around the fourth century BC, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, a nomadic people who accumulated wealth through the trade of incense and spices. Despite its greatness and its status as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, much about the Nabataeans remains a mystery and an unmissable place for tourists who come to the place from enormous distances.
“We still have a lot to know about the Treasury. When was this extraordinary structure built and why?” Creasman reflected. “With the support of the Jordanian government, this excavation is bringing us closer than ever to the answers,” he added.
For his part, Dr. Bates points out that there are other cavities detected by the radar that have not yet been explored, suggesting that there could be more discoveries waiting under the surface of Petra. Meanwhile, researchers continue to analyze the remains found, hoping that they will shed more light on the mysteries of this city carved in pink stone.