Real-Life Indiana Joneses Discover Ancient Tomb at Petra: Human Remains Unearthed Beneath Iconic Sandstone Edifice

Indiana Joneses Discover Ancient Tomb

A joint US-Jordanian archaeological team has made a remarkable discovery at Petra, unearthing a 2,000-year-old tomb beneath the iconic Treasury, famously featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. This tomb, believed to belong to high-status individuals, contained 12 well-preserved skeletons alongside hundreds of ancient artifacts, including bronze, iron, and ceramic items.

Dr. Pearce Paul Creasman, executive director of the American Center of Research and team leader, noted that the tomb’s prominent location suggests its significance, supporting theories that the Treasury itself was a royal tomb built by Nabataean King Aretas IV. Luminance dating placed the tomb’s construction in the first century BC, predating the Treasury.

Using ground-penetrating radar, the team was able to locate the tomb, which is rare for Petra as many discovered sites lack original contents due to repeated use over centuries. The Nabataeans, who emerged in the historical record around 312 BC, are still largely enigmatic, with few texts documenting their society until much later.

Creasman hopes the findings will shed light on the Nabataeans' egalitarian society and provide insights into their diet through analysis of remains. “This discovery may reveal important aspects of a multicultural trading society that united through shared interests,” he remarked.

Real-Life Indiana Joneses Discover Ancient Tomb at Petra: Human Remains Unearthed Beneath Iconic Sandstone Edifice