Has a new Holy Grail been unearthed after 2,000 years?
A tomb with at least 12 human skeletons and artifacts was recently located beneath The Treasury in Petra, Jordan, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
The site was an entire city carved out from the walls of a desert canyon by the Nabataean Kingdom, including what historians believe to be a mausoleum and crypt known as The Treasury. More than a million people visit the site each year.
The groundbreaking find was filmed for the Discovery Channel’s Expedition Unknown series, led by adventurer Josh Gates.
“We were absolutely stunned by the revelation of this hidden chamber,” Gates said in a media release. “Since nearly all of the tombs at Petra have been found empty, this is perhaps the most significant tomb ever found at Petra and a discovery of historic proportions. The breakthrough could not only reveal the secrets of The Treasury above, it could also offer an extraordinary glimpse into the lives of the early Nabataeans who built Petra.”
One discovery that excited the team assembled was an ancient skeleton appearing to clutch a ceramic vessel.
“When we spotted what looked like a chalice, all of us just froze,” Gates said. “It looked nearly identical to the Holy Grail featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, set in the ancient building directly above the tomb. It was the ultimate moment of life imitating art.”
Following an examination of the artifact, it was determined to be from a top part of a broken jug.
Archeologist Pearce Paul Creasman, executive director at the American Center of Research, was part of the joint Jordanian/American project to scan the area beneath the The Treasury with remote sensors.
“There is so much that we have yet to learn about The Treasury,” Creasman said. “When was this remarkable structure built, and why? Little did we know that this dig might completely change what we know about The Treasury and help solve the mysteries of the Nabataean people. With the support of the Jordanian government, this excavation is bringing us closer than ever to answers.”