A tomb with 12 skeletons discovered next to the Treasury of Petra: revealing secrets hidden for centuries

Amid iconic mountains, the entrance to a hidden city appears, welcoming millions of visitors with its pink hues to discover the secrets of one of humanity's greatest treasures: the Treasury of Petra (Al-Khaznah) in Jordan. It is considered the Holy Grail of archaeology, both in real life and fiction, having appeared in films such as 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' (1989).

The intrigue surrounding this architectural masterpiece carved in sandstone by the Nabataeans has captured the world's attention for centuries. So much so that it is regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Construction began in the 8th century B.C., and it quickly rose to great prosperity as a metropolis thanks to caravan trade. Although much of the history surrounding Petra is legend, it still harbors many secrets, and the latest has just been discovered.

The Department of Antiquities, the Petra Development and Tourism Authority, the Petra National Trust, and the American Center of Research conducted a joint archaeological project led by Dr. Pearce Paul Creasman, which uncovered a burial chamber next to the Treasury of Petra. Inside, there were 12 skeletons that have only fueled the desire to continue excavating the area.

Access to the ruins has been limited for a long time, so the archaeologists involved in this dig have achieved a dream that many would have liked to fulfill. "This is the first time a complete tomb with burial goods has been found in the Petra area," said Richard Bates, a geophysicist at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at St. Andrews University in Scotland.

New technologies have made this discovery possible. Thanks to powerful ground-penetrating radar for detecting underground objects, they achieved results that facilitated permission from the Jordanian government to excavate beneath the Treasury. Along with the skeletons, artifacts over 2,000 years old made from materials such as iron, ceramics, or bronze were found.

The most impressive part is that they were all found in almost pristine condition. Thus, this is one of the few intact tombs discovered in Petra, as many have been looted over the years. With this discovery, researchers hope to learn more about the lives of the Nabataeans - ancient Arab nomads - whose kingdom thrived between the 4th century B.C. and the 2nd century A.D.