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Tomb finds at Petra are thrilling - but what do they really reveal?
The Guardian
|October 19, 2024
For one of the most famous ancient sites on the planet, there is a surprising amount about the city of Petra - and the Nabataean people who built it - that we don't know for sure.
What exactly were their origins? How did their society operate? And why did they hand carve such spectacular monuments into the red rocks of the Jordanian desert?
A recent find at Petra this week promised some “groundbreaking and historic” answers. Described by the team behind it as like finding the Holy Grail of Petra archaeology, a large tomb has been excavated immediately in front of the Khasneh or Treasury, the most celebrated of its magnificent facades. Inside were 12 bodies and a range of grave goods, reportedly made from bronze, iron and pottery.
This story is from the October 19, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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