In a discovery that mirrors the cinematic history of its location, archaeologists have unearthed a hidden tomb containing the remains of 12 people and a mysterious ceramic chalice beneath the Treasury at Petra. The archaeologist Pearce Paul Creasman, of the American Centre of Research, revealed a chamber filled with complete skeletal remains and grave goods that had been sealed for two millennia.
Unlike most areas of the ancient city, which were disturbed by looters or natural forces over the centuries, this vault was found in an exceptionally rare, untouched state. The discovery of these skeletons provides a transformative look at Nabataean burial customs, as the remains offer a unique, uncorrupted biological record. Uncovering these undisturbed relics provides invaluable scientific data, illuminating the complex social fabric of Petra.
