Tomb finds at Petra are thrilling - but what do they really reveal?

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.

- Esther Addley

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.