Found something odd in the dig report from Petra last week

I was reading through the latest excavation summary from the Brown University team at Petra, and one number jumped out at me. They found over 200 burial chambers that were apparently looted in antiquity, not by modern thieves. That surprised me because everyone always talks about how well-preserved Petra is, but it sounds like the Nabataeans themselves might have been recycling tombs within a few generations. Has anyone else seen evidence of this kind of ancient tomb reuse in other sites?

2 comments

2 Comments

danielhenderson27d agoProlific Poster

Noticed that pattern in Roman sites too, they were always digging up older graves for space.

bens8126d ago

Yeah, guess some things never change. I'm pretty sure my ancestors are just mad I haven't dug up their graves yet for a nice backyard patio. Guess I better get on that before they start haunting me about the seating arrangement.