Most of Petra remains hidden underground. Only about 5% has been excavated—the rest buried beneath millennia of debris and sediment. The ancient Nabataean city engineered a sophisticated water system to control floods and protect its carved caves, including rock-cut channels, dams, and conduits. It took serious ingenuity to excavate enormous caves that still stand after 2,000 years!
Only 15-20% of Petra excavated as most remains buried underground
JordanGeneral
Key facts
- Archaeologists have only excavated 15-20% of Petra, meaning the vast majority remains buried and hidden underground
- Petra became buried due to millennial-long flash flood runoff accumulations
- The Nabataeans created a sophisticated water system including rock-cut channels, dams, and water conduits to control and collect rainwater
- This water system protected the city by diverting floods away from caves
- The water system was established contemporaneously with the carving of large-scale caves at Petra
- Only a sophisticated culture could excavate enormous caves that remained standing after 2,000 years
Site mentioned
Sources
Archaeologists discover 12 skeletons at a buried tomb in Petra, Jordannpr.org
Archaeologists say they've made a remarkable discovery in a place already known for its rich ancient history: 12 full skeletons in a tomb ...
Petra, Jordan, archaeology and history | National Geographicnationalgeographic.com
The majority of Petra, including dwellings, remains unexcavated. “There are hundreds of questions that are still awaiting answers,” Al-Salameen says.
In Jordan, a 'Stunning' Discovery Under Petra's Ancient Stonenytimes.com
A recent excavation has unearthed 12 human skeletons and a chamber of grave offerings near Petra's Treasury building, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
What's so spectacular about the new tomb discovery in Jordan's ...aljazeera.com
A team of Jordanian and US archaeologists unearthed a hidden tomb with 12 complete skeletons and a trove of bronze, ceramic, and iron artefacts.
A Walk Through the Ruins of Petra | AMNHamnh.org
And today, Petra is one of the world's most famous archaeological sites. Still, only five percent of the city has been uncovered, and many mysteries remain.
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