Crossroads Roundup: The Secret Tomb of Al-Khazneh, Apollo Returns to the Vatican, and Paddleboarding Witches
The latest news in art, archaeology, culture and more.
You may recognize this ancient monument from Indiana Jones. Beneath it lies a hidden tomb…
The historical city of Petra in southern Jordan is known for its stunning rock-cut structures that date back to the Nabatean Kingdom in the 2nd century B.C. One of its more ornate rock-cut tombs is Al-Khazneh, or “The Treasury.” It received its name during the 19th century from the Bedouins, who believed there to be treasure within.
Readers might recognize Al-Khazneh from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), in which the exterior of the structure served as the hiding place of (spoiler alert) the Holy Grail. This year, a team of Jordanian and American archaeologists found a different kind of treasure, after they were given rare permission to excavate beneath the ancient structure.
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