Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
6 min of reading 
0 comments 
Archaeologists have opened a secret tomb in Petra beneath the facade of the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) in Jordan, containing 12 complete skeletons from the Nabataean period, sealed for approximately 2,000 years. According to Smithsonian Magazine, it is the largest discovery at the site in two decades and continues to yield new findings until 2026.
The excavation was conducted by an international team from the American Center of Research (ACOR), led by Pearce Paul Creasman, in partnership with the Department of Antiquities of Jordan and the University of St Andrews. In parallel, geophysicist Richard Bates used ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to locate the chamber before any excavation.
The chamber measures approximately 5.5 meters long by 5.5 meters wide and 2.7 meters high, located beneath the plaza in front of the Treasury. According to official data, it was dated between the 1st century BC and the early 2nd century AD, covering the entire peak of the Nabataean kingdom.
-
James Webb photographs the surface of an exoplanet for the first time in history and reveals a world of black rock 48 light-years from Earth.
-
Chinese humanoid robots run a half marathon in Beijing, teams grow almost 5 times in one year, and the advancement of autonomous navigation raises an alert about the future of physical artificial intelligence in the world.
-
A force field against lunar dust seems like science fiction, but it could become the shield astronauts need to survive, protect spacesuits, save vital equipment, and keep future bases functioning on the surface of the Moon.
-
Chinese telescopes in the Andean deserts have become a US target and are transforming the sky of Argentina and Chile into a new field of dispute between Washington and Beijing.
The numbers of the discovery beneath the Petra Treasury, according to ACOR, Smithsonian, and the University of St Andrews, tell the story in five points:
- 12 complete skeletons of adults preserved to a high degree, all ritually buried
- 2,000 years unopened since the Nabataean era (1st century BC to 2nd century AD)
- Approx. 100 m² area of the underground burial chamber
- 3 non-destructive technologies used in diagnosis (GPR, electrical resistivity, magnetometry)
- 1 million visitors/year walked over the tomb unknowingly, in front of the Treasury
How the secret tomb in Petra was found without digging
The starting point was the observation of previous research in 2003. According to ACOR, the team that excavated on the east side of the Treasury at the time found two tombs with seven human remains. This led to the hypothesis of symmetry: if there is a tomb on the east side, perhaps there is one on the west side as well.
In parallel, the team conducted a systematic scan of the plaza in 2024 using three non-destructive methods. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) emits electromagnetic waves and measures reflections to map underground structures.
Electrical resistivity imaging measures how current flows through rock. According to Richard Bates, voids and empty chambers show different resistivity than the surrounding solid rock.
Magnetometry detects variations in the Earth’s magnetic field caused by buried anthropogenic structures. Therefore, carved walls, displaced blocks, and cavities appear as anomalies on the map.
The three methods converged to the same point beneath the plaza. According to the publication, only then did the team obtain authorization from the Department of Antiquities and begin the physical excavation of the chamber.
What was inside: skeletons, vessels, and the mysterious chalice
The chamber was intact. According to the University of St Andrews, the team found 12 complete skeletons positioned in a ritual arrangement, with no evidence of subsequent violation by looters.
In parallel, alongside the skeletons, there were bronze, pottery, and iron objects. According to ACOR, one individual held a cup-shaped ceramic chalice in their hands, the only known example of this configuration in a Nabataean context.
The ceramic vessels found are typical of the Nabataean fine ware style, with painted decoration. Therefore, ceramic typology dating confirmed the period from mid-first century BC to early second century AD.
Isotopic analysis of the bones is underway. In parallel, it may reveal the geographical origin of the buried individuals, their diet, and kinship, data that would show whether the family was local or came from other parts of the Nabataean kingdom.
According to Creasman, the main hypothesis is that the buried individuals are members of the Nabataean elite, possibly of the royal family. The alternative is a high-status priestly family, with the privilege of burial beneath the main monument.
Why the Petra Treasury remains an enigma
Al-Khazneh is Petra’s postcard. According to records, it was carved directly into the pink-red rock in the 1st century BC, standing 39 meters high, with a Hellenistic facade, and became world-famous as the setting for “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in 1989.
In parallel, the name means “treasury” in Arabic, derived from a local legend that Egyptian pharaohs hid gold in the urn on the facade. Bedouins in the past even shot at this urn to try to open the supposed treasure.
According to historians, the true function of the Treasury has never been fully clarified. Hypotheses include a royal tomb (Aretas IV or his successors), a Nabataean temple, or a collective ceremonial mausoleum.
The 2024 discovery reinforces the royal tomb hypothesis. In parallel, the presence of twelve individuals beneath the plaza, aligned with other side tombs, suggests that the Treasury was the center of a larger funerary complex.
As CPG covered in the coverage of the 30-meter secret chamber discovered in the Great Pyramid of Giza, current technology allows for the excavation of large monuments without damage. The parallel is direct: GPR and muography open windows into millennia-old sites.
Petra in the decade of non-destructive methods
Petra was recognized in 1985 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 2007, it was elected one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, increasing visitor flow to nearly 1 million per year before the pandemic.
In parallel, this volume puts pressure on the conservation of the site. Therefore, invasive excavation methods have been increasingly replaced by remote sensing technologies, which minimize the physical impact on the monument.
According to ACOR, a partnership signed in 2025 with Iconem (a French company) initiates complete three-dimensional digital documentation of Petra using photogrammetry, laser scanning, and LiDAR. The goal is to create a digital twin for preservation and continuous research.
In parallel, future excavations will focus on still unmapped areas, with GPR applied on a large scale. According to Creasman, there are indications of other possible chambers beneath various points of the site.
The analysis of the discovered skeletons continues in a specialized laboratory. In parallel, the team awaits authorization for ancient DNA analysis, which may reveal kinship among the buried individuals and correlation with other Nabataean remains already found in Petra.
What’s coming in 2026 and how the tomb changes the site
According to Pearce Paul Creasman, the 2026 excavation season is focused on expanding the investigated area around the chamber. In parallel, there are indications of other adjacent tombs not yet excavated.
The Department of Antiquities of Jordan is evaluating the possibility of controlled opening of the chamber for public visitation. Therefore, the challenge is to balance conservation with generating tourist revenue for the region.
The regional context helps. According to the Jordanian government, archaeological tourism accounts for about 12% of the country’s GDP, and Petra is the main driver of this sector.
In parallel, discoveries like this attract a new cycle of media coverage and international funding for research. According to ACOR, new partners have already expressed interest in supporting the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
For Nabataean knowledge, the impact is structural. In parallel, before this find, little was known about the funerary practices of the Nabataean elite beyond inscriptions and iconography. The physical presence of 12 individuals opens a direct window into the ritual life of this people.
It is worth noting, however, that ancient DNA analyses, strontium isotopes, and radiocarbon dating of the remains discovered beneath the Petra Treasury are still ongoing. The exact identity of the 12 buried individuals has not been confirmed. The article will be updated as the American Center of Research and the Department of Antiquities of Jordan release the results of the laboratory analyses.
Be the first to react!