The latest archaeological discoveries in the ancient city of Petra
The city of Petra, located in southern Jordan, is one of the seven wonders of the modern world because of its monuments, as the Nabataeans took it as their capital in 312 BC, and dug in its pink rock their dwellings, temples and tombs. It was discovered in 1812 AD by the Swiss orientalist "Johann Ludwig Berkardt", hence its touristic, artistic and historical importance to Jordan, as to this day, there are modern discoveries in the ancient city of Petra, what are they?
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- Petra, the ancient Nabataean capital carved into pink rock in southern Jordan, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the seven wonders of the modern world.
- Among recent discoveries in Petra are over 140 carbonized papyrus documents from the Byzantine era, revealing details about a wealthy landowning family led by a deacon named Theodorus.
- These papyri provide valuable insight into family life, legal matters, property rights, taxes, and reference over 350 individuals linked to Petra’s elite class.
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- American archaeologists uncovered Roman-era statues of Aphrodite and Cupid near a Byzantine church in Petra, showcasing links between Greco-Roman mythology and ancient Petra.
- A newly discovered monumental structure located 800 meters south of Petra, featuring a theater and columns, has been dated to between the second and first centuries BC, likely used for ceremonial purposes.
- Satellite imagery and drone surveys have enabled archaeologists to identify architectural footprints and further understand Petra's urban planning and monument connections.
- Despite being a globally renowned archaeological site, only 15% of Petra has been explored, hinting at the vast potential for future discoveries beneath its sands.
Ancient Greek, which contains more than 140 papyrus, surprisingly from one of the recent discoveries in the ancient city of Petra, which was preserved from its carbonization from fire. Most of them have been damaged so that it is difficult to understand what is in them, but some show clear and complete texts about one of the upper-class families, especially the famous Theodorus, who was the head of the family and served as a deacon in the Byzantine Church of Petra.
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In addition, the family that owned the documents were agricultural and residential landowners who enjoyed their wealth despite the low economic decline in Petra at the time, and the documents discuss various family affairs, such as marriage, inheritance, general legal issues, as well as property disputes and tax records. They also name some 350 people from outside the family in question personally and legally, so these papers provide evidence of a large number of members of the wealthy class at the time.
Statues of the gods Aphrodite and Cupid:
An American expedition discovered a group of statues and historical pottery, most notably statues of the gods "Aphrodite" and "Cupid", which date back to the Roman period specifically to the second century AD, near the Byzantine synod in Petra, and these statues are one of the recent discoveries in the ancient city of Petra.
The goddess Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, desire and all aspects of Greek sexuality. Aphrodite was born near Cyprus from the severed genitals of the heavenly god Uranus, Cupid is the god of love who is famous for his bow weapon and any human being hit by Cupid's arrow falls in love madly.
An archaeological discovery in Petra that is more than two thousand years old:
Sarah Parker of National Geographic and Christopher Tuttle, executive director of the Council on American Research Abroad, analyzed drone imagery as well as ground surveys to find, locate and document the monument, located 800 meters south of Petra. The area of this place varies between 49 and 56 meters.
This site contains recent discoveries in the ancient city of Petra buried under the sand, where a building was found, a large theater with an area of 8 and a half meters, and satellite images revealed the presence of a smaller theater inside, in addition to a group of columns stacked around one of the terraces of the site. The construction dates back to the end of the second century and the beginning of the first century BC, and the two scientists indicate that this archaeological site was built for the purpose of hosting celebrations, and its size is not equal to any other known buildings in the ancient city of Petra.
Petra Archives:
One recent discovery in the ancient city of Petra is the Petra Archive, or what is known as the Petra Papyrus, in 1993 in the Byzantine Church in the city of Petra. It is a stock of documents written on papyrus in the language
Moreover, scholars found a collection of stones imported from the Greeks who traded with Petra, as well as pieces of pottery from Roman and Byzantine times. Tuttle explained that satellite imagery will provide archaeologists with wide-ranging aerial views, which will help them identify footprints inside ancient buildings, and thus help them understand how historical monuments are connected to each other across the landscape.
The city of Petra is one of the oldest and most important cities in Jordan, as it is the capital of the Nabataean Arabs, and it is also one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world and the most important tourist attractions in Jordan, where more than half a million visitors visit it annually. The beautiful thing about it is that we are still waiting for recent discoveries in the ancient city of Petra, where scientists agreed that only 15% of the city has been discovered and that the remaining 85% are still waiting to be discovered, as it is a mysterious and beautiful city that captivates its visitors and residents to enjoy everything that is old and discover everything new.
