Researchers discover hidden tomb beneath Petra Treasury world heritage site

A team of researchers, including academics from the University of St Andrews, have discovered a secret tomb in one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Professor Richard Bates, from the St Andrews School of Earth and Environmental Science, was part of a collaboration carrying out research at Al-Khazneh, the Treasury building, at the World Heritage site of Petra, Jordan.

The team discovered a long-buried tomb with the remains of 12 ancient skeletons beneath the iconic building that more than a million visitors come to visit each year.

The unexpected discovery now features in a new Discovery Channel documentary. The historic dig is revealed in “Excavation Unknown,” a two-part show airing this month with adventurer Josh Gates.

The Treasury is the center of an entire city hand-hewn into the walls of a deserted canyon by the inhabitants of the Nabataean kingdom 2,000 years ago. Famous for being the cinematic resting place of the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Treasure’s true purpose remains a mystery.

The team received permission to conduct a remote sensing analysis and then dig beneath the Treasury. Non-invasive remote sensing was carried out with electromagnetic conductivity radar and ground penetrating radar.

Professor Bates said: “The main objective of the survey was to assess the condition of the areas around the Treasury, its courtyard, the square, the outlet of the Siq and the wadi into which they lead all, before possible future works to divert and better control flood waters. »

When the investigation revealed probable underground chambers in and around the Treasury, an excavation plan was designed and carried out by a team from the Department of Antiquities and ACOR. This revealed the presence of a tomb, with burials still in their ancient locations.

Professor Bates said: “This discovery is of international significance, as very few complete burials of the early Nabataeans have been found in Petra before. The burials, their possessions, and the human remains can be expected to all help fill in the gaps in our knowledge of how Petra came to be and who the Nabataeans were.

Dr Tim Kinnaird from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of St Andrews was brought in to sample and date the sediments surrounding the burials and also to sample materials from the grave enclosure . This information provided crucial dates for the construction of the tomb walls, from the mid-first century BC to the early second century AD.

Dr Kinnaird said: “The tomb was most likely built as a mausoleum and crypt in the Nabataean kingdom in the early first century AD for Aretas IV Philopatris. Like many tombs in the valley, few remains have ever been found in the tombs. due to their subsequent use and reuse over the past two millennia.

“It’s fantastic that we now have pottery, ecofacts and sediments dating back to the construction of the Treasury. Previously, we worked on hypotheses and conjectures: having a definitive date will be a monumental achievement for us all.”

A skeleton in the chamber was found holding a ceramic vessel.

Adventurer and presenter Josh Gates said: “When we spotted what looked like a chalice we all froze. It almost looked like the Holy Grail featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, located in the ancient building just above the tomb. It was the ultimate moment of life imitating art.”

A detailed examination of the vessel reveals that it is the upper part of a broken jug, probably dating from the first century BC.

Professor Bates said: “It has been an incredible privilege to be able to study such an iconic site and to have the geophysical data verified by an excavation so early is a rare opportunity. The scale of the discovery was so unexpected but it will likely shed light on not only the Treasury building but also Nabataean society as a whole.”

Pearce archaeologist Paul Creasman, executive director of ACOR, said: “There is still much we still need to learn about the Treasure. When was this remarkable structure built and why? Little did we know that these digs could completely change what we know. on the Treasury and help solve the mysteries of the Nabataean people. With the support of the Jordanian government, these excavations bring us closer than ever to answers.