The news in my newspaper today is that a real-life Indiana Jones has discovered a series of graves beneath the ‘Treasury’ in a hidden crypt at that wonderfully famous temple in Petra, Jordan. He is thrilled to bits that he has discovered 12 bodies which appear to have lain undisturbed for 2000 years.
There appear to be the bodies of members of the Nabataean people who carved the fabled city out of the pink sandstone gullies in which it sits.
The Treasury was used in the Indiana Jones 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The modern day Indiana Jones is Professor Richard Bates based at the University of St Andrews, Scotland. He used a ground-penetrating radar system to find the graves.
Subsequently, with some trepidation, he entered the underground chamber where the graves are situated. He was surprised that the Jordanian authorities gave him permission and he says that his discovery is of major interest to the world and can “be expected to help fill the gaps in our knowledge of how Petra came to be and who the Nabataeans were”.
It is thought that the skeletal remains date from between 400 BC and about A.D. 100.
The problem
The problem I immediately had with this exciting news story was that Professor Bates was disturbing someone’s grave. That is normally frowned upon. Even if it has historical interest and there are benefits to modern day scientists in doing this.
I don’t like the basic concept. It rides roughshod over people who lived 2000 years ago. Do we have the right to do that? I don’t think we have.
And so I asked an artificial intelligence computer (ChatGPT) if this ancient race of people specifically wanted to keep their grave secret and those that had been buried protected from being disturbed by future generations.
The response from this AI computer is below. I was right. This ancient race did not want the graves to be disturbed and if they were disturbed the perpetrators would be cursed.
Tell me about the enigmatic Nabataean people. When they buried their dead, did they want the bodies to remain untouched?
The Nabataeans were an ancient Arab people who thrived between the 4th century BCE and the 1st century CE in what is now modern-day Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. They are best known for their capital, Petra, a stunning city carved out of rose-red sandstone cliffs, which served as a crucial stop along the trade routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean world. Though much of their history remains mysterious, their achievements in architecture, hydrology, and trade demonstrate a highly sophisticated and resourceful culture.
Who Were the Nabataeans?
The Nabataeans were initially nomadic tribes who mastered desert survival. They made their wealth by controlling the incense and spice trade routes, levying taxes on caravans carrying goods like frankincense, myrrh, and other luxury items between Arabia and the Mediterranean world. Over time, the Nabataeans settled and built a vast network of cities, the most famous being Petra (modern-day Jordan) and Hegra (modern-day Saudi Arabia, also called Madain Saleh).
Their civilization blended influences from the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Mesopotamians, making their art and architecture a unique synthesis of these cultures.
Nabataean Burial Practices and Beliefs
The Nabataeans are particularly well-known for their elaborate rock-cut tombs, like those seen in Petra. These monumental tombs carved into cliffs give insights into their funerary practices and beliefs about the afterlife, though much remains speculative because written records are scarce.
Desire for Rest and Protection of the Dead
While there is no direct Nabataean writing explicitly detailing whether they wanted their dead to remain untouched, the design and scale of their tombs suggest a profound concern for the sanctity and protection of the dead. The fact that tombs were hidden or intricately carved into cliffs indicates a desire for eternal rest in undisturbed peace.
The inscriptions found on tomb facades often invoke curses upon anyone who would tamper with the grave. These curses strongly suggest that the Nabataeans believed in safeguarding their dead from desecration or disturbance. For instance, one Nabataean inscription reads:
“May whoever buries anyone in this grave besides the owner and his family be cursed by the god Dushara and all the gods who are in this place.”
This type of language suggests that the tombs were meant to serve as eternal resting places, free from any future interference. Such practices align with the broader ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean beliefs in ensuring a peaceful afterlife for the deceased.
Tomb Architecture and Decoration
Nabataean tombs reflect varying social statuses, ranging from simple niches for the common people to grand facades for the elite. The most impressive examples are the façade tombs, monumental in size and carved with intricate details like columns, statues, and pediments that reflect the architectural styles of Greco-Roman influence. These tombs were more than just burial places; they were symbols of wealth, power, and status.
Inside, the bodies were typically placed in rock-cut chambers or sarcophagi, though Nabataean burial rites remain somewhat unclear because of limited archaeological findings.
Afterlife Beliefs
Though Nabataean religious beliefs remain enigmatic, they worshipped gods such as Dushara (the chief god, often associated with the sun and the heavens) and Al-Uzza (a fertility goddess). Their tombs, often aligned with celestial bodies, suggest they may have had beliefs related to the stars or the cosmos, hinting at an idea of a journey in the afterlife.
Conclusion
While the Nabataeans left no detailed treatises on their burial practices, the monumental effort and artistry invested in their tombs, combined with inscriptions invoking curses, suggest that they wanted their dead to remain undisturbed. These tombs were more than final resting places; they were sacred spaces meant to preserve the deceased’s dignity and ensure their peaceful journey into the afterlife.
