1
00:00:01,700 --> 00:00:03,500
The Nabateans
are a mystery to me.
2
00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:04,900
There's a lot
we don't know about them.
3
00:00:04,900 --> 00:00:07,800
There's much more
we don't know than we do.
4
00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:10,700
[Josh] Enter Petra.
5
00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:12,667
Everything you see here
is carved.
6
00:00:12,667 --> 00:00:14,767
Like, the scale of this place
is unbelievable.
7
00:00:14,767 --> 00:00:18,567
And this here is the most
famous building of all.
8
00:00:18,567 --> 00:00:19,667
[Pearce]
We call it the Treasury.
9
00:00:19,667 --> 00:00:21,900
It's one of the new New Seven
Wonders of the World.
10
00:00:21,900 --> 00:00:25,000
This is the most mysterious
monument we have here.
11
00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,066
We don't know the who,
the what, the when.
12
00:00:27,066 --> 00:00:28,233
We have none of that for this.
13
00:00:28,233 --> 00:00:31,166
[Josh] Right. So this place
will always be remembered
14
00:00:31,166 --> 00:00:33,400
as the fictional resting place
of the Holy Grail
15
00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:35,467
in Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade.
16
00:00:35,467 --> 00:00:39,367
But in reality,
its true purpose is unknown.
17
00:00:39,367 --> 00:00:41,000
So how do we
unravel the mystery
18
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,667
of one of the most famous
buildings in the world?
19
00:00:42,667 --> 00:00:43,667
If we're gonna
understand this place,
20
00:00:43,667 --> 00:00:45,700
we've got to get a glimpse
of what's under us.
21
00:00:45,700 --> 00:00:48,000
And to do that,
we need technology.
22
00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:49,000
[Josh] Got it.
23
00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:50,100
What do you make of that?
24
00:00:50,100 --> 00:00:51,567
[Josh] There is
something there.
25
00:00:51,567 --> 00:00:53,567
Some sort of chamber
we've never seen before.
26
00:00:53,567 --> 00:00:55,100
[man] "X" marks the spot.
27
00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:56,467
Unbelievable.
28
00:00:56,467 --> 00:00:59,266
Let's see what's down there.
29
00:00:59,266 --> 00:01:02,400
Here at Petra, archeologist
Pearce Paul Creasman
30
00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:04,467
has been given
exclusive permission
31
00:01:04,467 --> 00:01:07,166
to dig beneath
the Treasury for answers.
32
00:01:07,166 --> 00:01:07,667
Here we go.
33
00:01:07,667 --> 00:01:09,400
And so dig we did.
34
00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,100
A team of workers
moved tons of earth
35
00:01:12,100 --> 00:01:15,600
to descend 12 feet
beneath the courtyard
of the Treasury.
36
00:01:18,166 --> 00:01:21,266
And it turns out
there's something down there.
37
00:01:21,266 --> 00:01:22,767
[man] Josh, Pearce,
get over here.
38
00:01:22,767 --> 00:01:24,166
We found something.
39
00:01:24,166 --> 00:01:26,066
Let's see what we got.
Come on.
40
00:01:26,066 --> 00:01:28,567
-[Josh] We got
a lot more people here.
-[Pearce] Yeah.
41
00:01:28,567 --> 00:01:29,800
Oh, this looks very official.
42
00:01:31,367 --> 00:01:33,500
[Josh] We're joined
by the Director General
43
00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:37,066
of the Jordanian
Department of Antiquities,
Dr. Fadi Balawi.
44
00:01:37,066 --> 00:01:38,300
Your Excellency,
nice to meet you, sir.
45
00:01:38,300 --> 00:01:40,066
-Lovely seeing you.
-Yes.
46
00:01:40,066 --> 00:01:44,200
Along with the Chief
Commissioner of Petra,
Dr. Fares Braizat.
47
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,100
And beneath us, a discovery.
48
00:01:47,100 --> 00:01:48,100
So, what'd you find?
49
00:01:48,100 --> 00:01:50,567
We think we have an entrance
to something here.
50
00:01:50,567 --> 00:01:52,266
-There's an opening there?
-[man] There's an opening.
51
00:01:52,266 --> 00:01:54,367
-[Josh] Where?
-I can put my hand
on this side.
52
00:01:54,367 --> 00:01:55,667
Look at that.
That's a doorway.
53
00:01:55,667 --> 00:01:57,300
And it goes all the way
to here as well.
54
00:01:57,300 --> 00:01:59,367
And it's just got these
big blocks in front of it?
55
00:01:59,367 --> 00:02:01,200
Yeah, it's been sealed up.
56
00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:02,767
Is that a tomb?
What is that?
57
00:02:02,767 --> 00:02:04,467
I mean,
why do we have to wonder?
58
00:02:04,467 --> 00:02:05,900
We should go down and see.
59
00:02:05,900 --> 00:02:07,400
-Let's find out.
-[man] Come on down.
60
00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:08,767
I knew I liked this guy.
61
00:02:08,767 --> 00:02:10,233
We're coming down.
62
00:02:18,467 --> 00:02:20,667
Oh, my word.
Can you see in there?
63
00:02:20,667 --> 00:02:22,100
Wow.
64
00:02:23,467 --> 00:02:24,767
I can't wait.
65
00:02:24,767 --> 00:02:25,767
What is in there?
66
00:02:25,767 --> 00:02:28,266
It is something really huge.
67
00:02:28,266 --> 00:02:29,867
Is it empty? Is it--
Can you see anything?
68
00:02:29,867 --> 00:02:32,266
-[Fadi] Ooh.
-Is it a room?
Does it go back?
69
00:02:32,266 --> 00:02:33,734
It's a new tomb, I think.
70
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,100
[Josh] It is a tomb!
71
00:02:36,100 --> 00:02:38,000
Oh, my God.
72
00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,367
Also, there's
another layer inside.
73
00:02:40,367 --> 00:02:41,266
[Josh] This is insane.
74
00:02:41,266 --> 00:02:43,300
[Pearce] So what are we
waiting for, guys?
75
00:02:43,300 --> 00:02:46,066
I think we should not
wait anymore.
76
00:02:46,066 --> 00:02:47,100
We should go in.
77
00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:48,166
-You want to open it?
-[Pearce] We gotta go in.
78
00:02:48,166 --> 00:02:49,066
Definitely.
79
00:02:49,066 --> 00:02:50,634
-Definitely.
-Yes.
80
00:02:52,467 --> 00:02:53,800
-[Fadi] Oh, wow.
-Heavy, heavy, heavy, yeah?
81
00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:54,800
Okay, I have it, I have it.
82
00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,800
-[Fadi] Hold this, please.
-Yup. Heavy, heavy.
83
00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:04,500
I have it. Oh, I don't.
84
00:03:13,166 --> 00:03:16,533
Oh, my word!
85
00:03:17,767 --> 00:03:20,367
The past is all around us.
86
00:03:20,367 --> 00:03:22,467
Oh, this is crazy.
87
00:03:22,467 --> 00:03:23,900
A world of mystery...
88
00:03:23,900 --> 00:03:25,600
-This is a plane?
-[man] Yeah.
89
00:03:27,266 --> 00:03:27,967
...danger...
90
00:03:27,967 --> 00:03:29,600
We are about to be underwater.
91
00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:30,533
Whoa!
92
00:03:31,967 --> 00:03:33,300
...and adventure.
93
00:03:35,467 --> 00:03:37,500
It's just straight down.
94
00:03:38,166 --> 00:03:40,100
[grunting]
95
00:03:41,567 --> 00:03:43,867
I travel to the
far corners of the earth
96
00:03:43,867 --> 00:03:46,500
to uncover where legends end
97
00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,400
and history begins.
98
00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:50,834
Yeah, let's punch it.
99
00:03:51,367 --> 00:03:52,500
I'm Josh Gates.
100
00:03:52,500 --> 00:03:56,300
And this is
Expedition Unknown.
101
00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:00,567
Are they graves,
do you think?
102
00:04:00,567 --> 00:04:02,000
I think
they could be graves.
103
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,500
They're all partitioned off.
Look at that.
104
00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:06,367
I can hardly believe it.
105
00:04:06,367 --> 00:04:09,100
We are peering
into the darkness
of an ancient tomb
106
00:04:09,100 --> 00:04:12,400
discovered beneath
the famed Treasury in Petra.
107
00:04:15,867 --> 00:04:18,200
This is a city
of enduring mysteries,
108
00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,867
mysteries that I've traveled
a long way to investigate.
109
00:04:21,867 --> 00:04:25,767
To find out how its builders,
the Nabateans, came to power
110
00:04:25,767 --> 00:04:28,667
and what happened to their
once-flourishing kingdom,
111
00:04:28,667 --> 00:04:31,500
I made the trip here,
through the winding
slot canyon,
112
00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:32,533
known as the Siq,
113
00:04:32,533 --> 00:04:35,767
that has long concealed
the entrance to Petra.
114
00:04:35,767 --> 00:04:38,367
Always knew someday
you'd come walking back
through my door.
115
00:04:38,367 --> 00:04:40,166
Oh, you even quote Raiders.
116
00:04:40,166 --> 00:04:43,367
My old friend, archeologist
Pearce Paul Creasman,
117
00:04:43,367 --> 00:04:46,900
has been leading me
on a journey through
the sands of time.
118
00:04:46,900 --> 00:04:49,567
Together,
we visited remote cliffs,
119
00:04:49,567 --> 00:04:51,800
where a clue
was chiseled in stone
120
00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,200
hundreds of feet
above the desert floor.
121
00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:55,367
We need to scan it.
122
00:04:55,367 --> 00:04:56,367
[Josh] No.
123
00:04:56,367 --> 00:04:58,700
It's a sheer cliff face, man.
124
00:05:00,867 --> 00:05:04,800
After dangling by a thread
and scanning the inscription,
125
00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,000
we decoded
the Nabatean origin story.
126
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,300
Nomads who filled
a power vacuum
in these vast deserts.
127
00:05:12,300 --> 00:05:15,166
So here we are,
centuries before Petra
is really a thing...
128
00:05:15,166 --> 00:05:17,200
-[Pearce] Yeah.
-...and the Nabateans
are on the scene.
129
00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:18,033
[Pearce] Yes.
130
00:05:18,033 --> 00:05:19,900
[Josh] At their
first city of Sela,
131
00:05:19,900 --> 00:05:22,266
they learned
to shape the rock itself,
132
00:05:22,266 --> 00:05:25,567
creating homes,
tombs and chambers
133
00:05:25,567 --> 00:05:29,166
to collect the most precious
commodity of all, water.
134
00:05:29,166 --> 00:05:31,767
This is a big part
of the secret of the
Nabateans' rise
135
00:05:31,767 --> 00:05:34,133
is their ability
to manage water.
136
00:05:34,900 --> 00:05:36,767
[Josh]
By the first century BC,
137
00:05:36,767 --> 00:05:38,667
the Nabateans
leveraged their skills
138
00:05:38,667 --> 00:05:42,667
to become
masters of the desert
and a trade empire,
139
00:05:42,667 --> 00:05:45,367
moving the rich resources
of the ancient world
140
00:05:45,367 --> 00:05:48,000
through one of the harshest
environments on earth
141
00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,767
and becoming
fabulously wealthy.
142
00:05:50,767 --> 00:05:54,400
And with that wealth,
they built their capital
at Petra,
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00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,667
a marvel of architecture
and engineering
144
00:05:58,667 --> 00:06:02,500
that was once home
to tens of thousands
of people.
145
00:06:02,500 --> 00:06:04,767
The so called Rose City
was hand carved
146
00:06:04,767 --> 00:06:07,300
into the sandstone cliffs
and canyons.
147
00:06:07,967 --> 00:06:10,000
And that brings us back here,
148
00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,166
to the iconic wonder
known as the Treasury.
149
00:06:13,166 --> 00:06:15,667
Was it
a repository for riches,
150
00:06:15,667 --> 00:06:17,367
a temple, a palace,
151
00:06:17,367 --> 00:06:19,700
or a tomb
for a Nabatean king?
152
00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:24,600
The answers may lie
beneath it in the chamber
we've just discovered.
153
00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,000
Look at that.
It's all compartments.
154
00:06:27,467 --> 00:06:28,667
They're all sectioned off.
155
00:06:28,667 --> 00:06:30,400
[Pearce]
It looks like a catacomb.
156
00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,000
It does look
like a catacomb.
157
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,767
[Pearce]
Fadi, have you seen
anything like that?
158
00:06:33,767 --> 00:06:35,000
Never.
159
00:06:35,467 --> 00:06:37,467
[Josh] Nothing,
and I mean nothing like this
160
00:06:37,467 --> 00:06:39,700
has ever been found in Petra.
161
00:06:39,700 --> 00:06:41,166
In every other instance,
162
00:06:41,166 --> 00:06:44,400
the Nabateans dug
simple niches
into cave walls,
163
00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,800
or dug down
into the bedrock.
164
00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,000
But these raised
slotted structures,
this is unique.
165
00:06:51,567 --> 00:06:53,300
[Fadi speaking]
166
00:06:54,266 --> 00:06:55,867
Right. Most of these
rooms you see,
167
00:06:55,867 --> 00:06:57,667
-they're either flat floors...
-[Fadi] Carve.
168
00:06:57,667 --> 00:06:58,867
-...or they carve
into the floors.
-Yeah.
169
00:06:58,867 --> 00:07:00,767
[Fadi] But this is
something different.
170
00:07:00,767 --> 00:07:03,567
They could be really
solving all the issue about--
171
00:07:03,567 --> 00:07:05,166
-The age of this.
-The age of the Treasury
172
00:07:05,166 --> 00:07:07,166
-and the function
of the Treasury...
-[Josh] Right.
173
00:07:07,166 --> 00:07:08,367
...and the use
of the Treasury.
174
00:07:08,367 --> 00:07:11,800
And the Treasury is not
only what we see above.
175
00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,166
It could be a whole story
that's linked to each other.
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00:07:14,166 --> 00:07:15,467
-Below?
-Below.
177
00:07:15,467 --> 00:07:18,166
[Josh] The dream would be
to find human remains.
178
00:07:18,166 --> 00:07:20,400
But it may be
more of a fantasy.
179
00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,567
That's because
of the thousands of tombs
180
00:07:22,567 --> 00:07:24,567
discovered
in the heart of Petra,
181
00:07:24,567 --> 00:07:27,467
nearly every single
one of them was found empty,
182
00:07:27,467 --> 00:07:29,900
looted or cleaned out
long ago.
183
00:07:29,900 --> 00:07:32,600
So, it smells musty as hell.
184
00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,467
[Pearce] It's got
that very distinctive
tomb smell to it.
185
00:07:35,467 --> 00:07:36,467
[Josh] Exactly. Right?
186
00:07:36,467 --> 00:07:37,467
Probably that's mold.
187
00:07:39,166 --> 00:07:41,667
[Josh] Mold, for homeowners,
it's a headache.
188
00:07:41,667 --> 00:07:44,266
For archeologists,
it can be lethal.
189
00:07:44,266 --> 00:07:46,000
So, after donning
respirators,
190
00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,700
we call for a ladder
to access the chamber below.
191
00:07:49,700 --> 00:07:51,233
Ladder's going down.
192
00:07:52,867 --> 00:07:54,166
Are you ready?
193
00:07:54,166 --> 00:07:55,500
[Pearce]
I'm ready. I'm gonna go in,
I'm gonna set the ladder,
194
00:07:55,500 --> 00:07:57,066
and then
everybody come down.
195
00:07:57,066 --> 00:07:58,100
[Josh] Sounds good.
Let's do it.
196
00:07:58,100 --> 00:08:00,567
Pearce Paul takes the lead.
197
00:08:00,567 --> 00:08:04,133
Once he disappears
into the darkness,
the rest of us follow.
198
00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:08,900
Here we go.
199
00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:13,166
But even before my eyes
have time to adjust,
there's a discovery.
200
00:08:13,166 --> 00:08:15,367
[Fadi] Oh, my God!
201
00:08:15,367 --> 00:08:16,667
[Josh] What is it?
202
00:08:16,667 --> 00:08:17,667
[Fadi] Skeletons.
203
00:08:17,667 --> 00:08:19,400
-[Josh] Skeletons?
-[Fadi] Yes.
204
00:08:20,166 --> 00:08:22,500
[Pearce] Oh, my God.
Look at that.
205
00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:24,333
There's bodies in here.
206
00:08:24,867 --> 00:08:26,367
The bodies seem to be resting
207
00:08:26,367 --> 00:08:29,467
in compartments created
by these raised stone walls,
208
00:08:29,467 --> 00:08:32,400
and they appear
to be everywhere.
209
00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:33,367
[Fadi] Another one there.
210
00:08:33,367 --> 00:08:34,967
[Josh] Oh, another one
right in front of it.
211
00:08:34,967 --> 00:08:37,166
-[Fadi] It's a child.
-[Josh] That's a child.
212
00:08:37,166 --> 00:08:39,200
-[Fadi] It's a child.
-[Josh] Oh, my word.
213
00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:40,266
And another.
214
00:08:40,266 --> 00:08:42,200
Another full skeleton.
Look at that.
215
00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,300
So you think
this could be a family?
216
00:08:44,300 --> 00:08:46,100
[Pearce]
It has all the hallmarks
of a family crypt.
217
00:08:46,100 --> 00:08:50,467
We can take samples
and check the DNA
and see if they're related.
218
00:08:50,467 --> 00:08:51,900
[Josh] What's in
these other pits?
219
00:08:51,900 --> 00:08:52,934
Do you think there's more?
220
00:08:52,934 --> 00:08:55,500
[Pearce] I mean, there's
only one way to find out.
221
00:08:55,500 --> 00:08:57,400
[Josh] Let's see what's
in the other chambers.
222
00:09:00,066 --> 00:09:01,066
[Pearce] That's it.
223
00:09:01,066 --> 00:09:02,567
-[Josh] More burials?
-[Pearce] More burials.
224
00:09:02,567 --> 00:09:03,433
I see at least...
225
00:09:04,367 --> 00:09:06,066
At least three skulls.
226
00:09:06,066 --> 00:09:08,367
This one's
a little disturbed.
227
00:09:08,367 --> 00:09:10,367
-[Josh] Three more skulls?
-[Pearce] At least.
228
00:09:10,367 --> 00:09:12,266
[Josh] Just look
at the condition of this.
229
00:09:12,266 --> 00:09:17,333
The entire individual
is here with these offerings,
whatever they are.
230
00:09:18,300 --> 00:09:19,600
[Pearce] And there's more.
231
00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:21,967
[Josh] How many individuals
are in this room?
232
00:09:21,967 --> 00:09:25,767
[Fadi] One, two, three, four.
233
00:09:25,767 --> 00:09:26,967
[Pearce] At least 12.
234
00:09:26,967 --> 00:09:30,400
I mean-- And if we--
When we excavate,
we may find more.
235
00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,200
[Josh] This is
a momentous discovery.
236
00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:37,667
The many tombs of Petra
that line the canyon above
are all empty now.
237
00:09:37,667 --> 00:09:39,867
Yet, here is
a massive burial chamber
238
00:09:39,867 --> 00:09:43,967
hidden directly beneath
the most famous building
in the city.
239
00:09:43,967 --> 00:09:46,567
There are at least
a dozen bodies in this room.
240
00:09:46,567 --> 00:09:49,567
Have you ever found a tomb
with 12 burials in it?
241
00:09:49,567 --> 00:09:50,533
-[Fadi] Never.
-[Josh] Never?
242
00:09:50,533 --> 00:09:52,934
-[Fadi] Never.
-[Josh] This is unbelievable.
243
00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,000
[Fadi] Well done, guys.
Well done, well done.
244
00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:56,967
-Well done.
-[Josh] This is amazing.
245
00:09:56,967 --> 00:09:58,500
-[Fares] Congratulations.
-[Josh] Thank you.
246
00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:00,600
-[Fares] Well done.
-[Josh] What a thrill.
247
00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:01,700
Oh, my word.
248
00:10:01,700 --> 00:10:04,066
We're just starting now.
We need to know who they are.
249
00:10:04,066 --> 00:10:05,400
[Pearce] Well, now
we gotta get to work.
250
00:10:11,700 --> 00:10:12,867
[Pearce] This has been
the easy part.
251
00:10:12,867 --> 00:10:14,300
[Josh] Huh.
This was the easy part?
252
00:10:14,300 --> 00:10:16,200
-[Pearce] We're in.
-[Josh] Oh, come on.
253
00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,166
I'm living
every archaeologist's dream,
254
00:10:19,166 --> 00:10:21,166
excavating
a newly-discovered tomb
255
00:10:21,166 --> 00:10:23,500
beneath the Treasury
in Petra.
256
00:10:23,500 --> 00:10:26,667
One with something
almost never found here,
257
00:10:26,667 --> 00:10:28,200
actual human remains.
258
00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,900
We're hoping
they can help us fill in
crucial missing details
259
00:10:31,900 --> 00:10:33,767
about both
the building above us
260
00:10:33,767 --> 00:10:36,667
and the Nabatean people
who carved it.
261
00:10:36,667 --> 00:10:39,400
-How many people
visit Petra a year?
-[Fares] One million.
262
00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:40,700
-[Josh] A million?
-[Fares] Yes.
263
00:10:40,700 --> 00:10:43,567
-[Josh] And they walk
right above our heads.
-[Fares] Exactly.
264
00:10:43,567 --> 00:10:47,000
[Josh] And until this moment,
nobody knew this was here.
265
00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,000
-[Fadi] Never.
-[Fares] No one knew
this existed.
266
00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,867
[Pearce] Now we have
to photograph everything,
267
00:10:50,867 --> 00:10:52,266
we have
to measure everything,
268
00:10:52,266 --> 00:10:54,066
we have
to conserve, preserve.
269
00:10:54,066 --> 00:10:56,867
And we have to present it
for people to understand it.
270
00:10:56,867 --> 00:10:57,600
[Josh] Right.
271
00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,367
Okay, well,
let's get to work.
272
00:10:59,367 --> 00:11:01,867
Before anything
can be disturbed,
273
00:11:01,867 --> 00:11:04,100
it must all be documented.
274
00:11:04,100 --> 00:11:06,967
Pearce Paul
photographs the tomb.
275
00:11:06,967 --> 00:11:11,667
Then archeologist
Matthew Vincent deploys
a 3D like a scanner.
276
00:11:11,667 --> 00:11:14,266
The device emits
pulses of laser light,
277
00:11:14,266 --> 00:11:16,900
as many as two million
per second.
278
00:11:16,900 --> 00:11:20,467
The result, a remarkable
digital topographic map
279
00:11:20,467 --> 00:11:25,066
of both the entrance
and the interior
of the newly-found tomb.
280
00:11:25,066 --> 00:11:29,000
Once it's complete,
we're ready to get
our hands dirty.
281
00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,700
[Pearce] It's time to get
into the excavation.
282
00:11:30,700 --> 00:11:32,166
And we're gonna start here.
283
00:11:32,166 --> 00:11:33,567
We're gonna stick
close to the wall.
284
00:11:33,567 --> 00:11:35,467
-We want to go
to the far end...
-[Josh] Uh-huh.
285
00:11:35,467 --> 00:11:37,900
-...and then
work our way back.
-[Josh] Got it.
286
00:11:38,767 --> 00:11:41,767
We very carefully drop down
into the first pit
287
00:11:41,767 --> 00:11:47,266
and gingerly excavate
to see if anything was buried
alongside these Nabateans.
288
00:11:47,266 --> 00:11:51,600
These bones are just under
this fine layer of dust
that's settled in here.
289
00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:52,900
But underneath them,
look at that.
290
00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:53,900
They just shine through.
291
00:11:53,900 --> 00:11:57,100
There's a standalone skull
in the corner, yes?
292
00:11:57,100 --> 00:11:58,767
[Pearce] Look at this cut
in the chin.
293
00:11:58,767 --> 00:12:00,166
[Josh] There's a fracture
in the bone.
294
00:12:00,166 --> 00:12:02,300
[Pearce] It looks like
there's a cut in the bone,
295
00:12:02,300 --> 00:12:04,567
so somebody got
a pretty good knock
296
00:12:04,567 --> 00:12:06,867
-in their lifetime.
-[Josh] Incredible.
297
00:12:06,867 --> 00:12:08,800
[Pearce] But up here,
we see these little
black spots.
298
00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,400
This is charcoal.
299
00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:12,767
When they buried
this person,
300
00:12:12,767 --> 00:12:15,066
they buried them
with something in a vessel
301
00:12:15,066 --> 00:12:16,433
that had been burned.
302
00:12:16,433 --> 00:12:18,667
[Josh] Would it have been
some sort of burning
your offering here?
303
00:12:18,667 --> 00:12:20,700
[Pearce] Yes.
So hopefully--
304
00:12:20,700 --> 00:12:22,367
Ah, here it comes.
305
00:12:22,367 --> 00:12:24,266
-[Josh] Pottery.
-[Pearce] Starting to get
some pottery.
306
00:12:24,266 --> 00:12:25,800
[Josh] Look at that.
307
00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:29,400
The fragments
we're finding may not be big,
but they're still invaluable
308
00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:32,600
in narrowing down
who this tomb
once belonged to.
309
00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,667
[Pearce] Really thin,
really fragile,
310
00:12:35,667 --> 00:12:37,767
-and Nabatean pottery.
-[Josh] Oh, yeah.
311
00:12:37,767 --> 00:12:39,667
Look at that.
That's pottery.
312
00:12:39,667 --> 00:12:41,266
While we don't yet know
for sure,
313
00:12:41,266 --> 00:12:44,467
Pearce Paul thinks
the pottery might be
early Nabatean,
314
00:12:44,467 --> 00:12:47,100
which would place it
in the first century BC.
315
00:12:47,100 --> 00:12:50,400
And the unproven theory
as to when the Treasury
was built?
316
00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,100
[Pearce] Something like 40 AD.
317
00:12:53,100 --> 00:12:55,767
[Josh] So this could be
nearly a century before that.
318
00:12:55,767 --> 00:12:58,000
[Pearce] Yes.
That is powerful for us
319
00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,266
because a big part
of this excavation
320
00:13:00,266 --> 00:13:02,867
-is to understand what's
going on in the Treasury.
-[Josh] Right.
321
00:13:02,867 --> 00:13:06,100
[Pearce] Because we don't have
a lot of burials from Petra,
322
00:13:06,100 --> 00:13:08,166
and we don't have
a lot of early burials.
323
00:13:08,166 --> 00:13:11,000
-[Josh] Right.
-Even smaller fraction of them
are the early ones.
324
00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,900
-[Josh] Amazing.
-[Pearce] So this is
going to be great.
325
00:13:13,967 --> 00:13:16,367
[Josh]
It has been theorized,
but never proven,
326
00:13:16,367 --> 00:13:20,700
that the Treasury was built
during the reign of a king
named Aretas IV,
327
00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:24,300
who ruled
the Nabateans during their
most prosperous era.
328
00:13:24,300 --> 00:13:26,300
Earlier, while digging,
we found a coin
329
00:13:26,300 --> 00:13:28,767
dating to the time
of his predecessor.
330
00:13:28,767 --> 00:13:32,400
If this pottery
ends up being dated
to that same period,
331
00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:34,200
it could help
confirm the theory,
332
00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,800
since the Treasury was built
above this layer,
333
00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:38,767
which means later in time.
334
00:13:38,767 --> 00:13:41,367
[Pearce] If the Treasury
wasn't there
335
00:13:41,367 --> 00:13:44,000
when this was made,
336
00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,667
these people are still
really important people
337
00:13:47,667 --> 00:13:50,200
because good real estate
is good real estate.
338
00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,700
This is
an important location.
339
00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:57,767
[Josh] We continue
to delicately brush away
the sand around the remains
340
00:13:57,767 --> 00:14:00,900
to expose any artifacts
buried with them.
341
00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,767
So by this bone here,
I've got what looks like
342
00:14:04,767 --> 00:14:07,667
a piece of pottery
right in here.
343
00:14:07,667 --> 00:14:12,367
[Pearce]
That's that really thin,
fine early Nabatean pottery.
344
00:14:12,367 --> 00:14:14,100
So here's what
I don't see so far.
345
00:14:14,100 --> 00:14:16,000
-I don't see jewelry.
-[Josh] Right.
346
00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,367
[Pearce] I don't see trinkets,
personal adornments.
347
00:14:18,367 --> 00:14:20,100
I don't see a lot of stuff.
348
00:14:20,100 --> 00:14:20,900
[Josh] I mean, nothing.
349
00:14:20,900 --> 00:14:22,200
[Pearce] And we see that
as a pattern
350
00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,133
recurring in early
Nabatean burials,
the lack of stuff.
351
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,166
[Josh] While this is
proving to be one of the
352
00:14:29,166 --> 00:14:33,000
largest collections
of remains ever found
at Petra,
353
00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,266
discoveries at the
Nabateans' other city
of Hegra in Saudi Arabia
354
00:14:37,266 --> 00:14:39,266
have shown
that they were often buried
355
00:14:39,266 --> 00:14:40,400
with layered shrouds
356
00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,100
of leather
and colorful fabric.
357
00:14:43,100 --> 00:14:46,467
Both of which may have
rotted away in our wet tomb.
358
00:14:46,467 --> 00:14:49,266
In addition,
small but stunning relics
were found there,
359
00:14:49,266 --> 00:14:54,200
including cones,
and even a small camel
in bronze.
360
00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:59,000
But like here at Petra,
the burials there were not
packed with rich offerings.
361
00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,000
Rather, it looked like
the Nabateans seemed
to believe
362
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,000
that you can't
take it with you.
363
00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,800
[Josh] So this looks like
part of the spine here.
364
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:07,500
[Pearce] Yup.
And you've got vertebrae.
365
00:15:07,500 --> 00:15:09,500
-[Josh] These are ribs.
-[Pearce] Yeah.
366
00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:13,300
And under your right hand,
you've got the collarbone,
clavicle.
367
00:15:13,300 --> 00:15:16,300
-[Josh] I mean, it looks like
maybe an arm here, arm bone.
-[Pearce] Yeah.
368
00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:19,367
-Very clearly
the chin there...
-[Josh] Yeah.
369
00:15:19,367 --> 00:15:21,900
...mandible,
back of the ear.
370
00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:29,300
[Josh] The arm
is literally reaching out.
371
00:15:29,300 --> 00:15:31,066
[Pearce]
It's evocative, isn't it?
372
00:15:31,066 --> 00:15:32,634
[Josh] It really is.
373
00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:34,400
[Josh] I've got pottery here.
374
00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:35,567
[Pearce] Yeah?
375
00:15:35,567 --> 00:15:37,700
-Oh, good.
-[Josh] It looks like
the piece of a vessel.
376
00:15:37,700 --> 00:15:38,767
[Pearce] Nice, nice.
377
00:15:38,767 --> 00:15:40,066
[Josh] Oh, there's
a base on it.
378
00:15:40,066 --> 00:15:41,900
[Pearce] All right.
So this is gonna be
really helpful for us.
379
00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:44,667
It's gonna tell us something
about the time and place.
380
00:15:44,667 --> 00:15:46,367
It's nice to have
a couple of body shards.
381
00:15:46,367 --> 00:15:48,200
But when we have
the rims and the feet,
382
00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:50,166
that's when
we can get really precise,
383
00:15:50,166 --> 00:15:53,100
compare it to existing
cataloged information
384
00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:55,000
and tell us a lot more
about the time and place.
385
00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,367
[Josh] That is incredible.
386
00:15:57,367 --> 00:15:59,166
The Nabateans
we're discovering here
387
00:15:59,166 --> 00:16:02,133
are just beginning
to speak to Pearce Paul.
388
00:16:03,266 --> 00:16:05,800
But it turns out
there are others
waiting for that chance,
389
00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:07,834
who may rank
a little higher.
390
00:16:08,767 --> 00:16:10,200
-Wow.
-Hey, Pearce Paul.
391
00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,300
The ambassador is here
to see you.
392
00:16:13,100 --> 00:16:14,133
[Josh]
There's an ambassador?
393
00:16:14,133 --> 00:16:16,467
[Pearce] Yeah, I invited
the American ambassador.
394
00:16:16,467 --> 00:16:17,700
[Josh] What-- Okay.
395
00:16:21,767 --> 00:16:22,600
-[Yael] Hi.
-Hello.
396
00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:24,300
Really nice
to meet you, Ambassador.
397
00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:25,700
It's fantastic to meet you.
398
00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:28,100
I've never met anybody
in quite these
conditions before.
399
00:16:28,100 --> 00:16:29,333
This is incredible.
400
00:16:29,333 --> 00:16:31,367
You know, you never know
who you're gonna bump into
at a tomb.
401
00:16:31,367 --> 00:16:34,400
Meet Yael Lempert,
the actual, no kidding,
402
00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:38,000
US ambassador
to the Hashemite Kingdom
of Jordan.
403
00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,266
It's really nice
to meet you.
404
00:16:39,266 --> 00:16:40,500
[Yael] It's a pleasure
to meet you.
405
00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:41,934
-Pleasure to meet you.
-We're so excited
to have you here.
406
00:16:41,934 --> 00:16:43,867
I have a gift for you.
You're probably gonna
want one of these.
407
00:16:43,867 --> 00:16:45,500
And as a true diplomat,
408
00:16:45,500 --> 00:16:48,300
she's here to meet
the new neighbors.
409
00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:51,533
We waste no time escorting
the ambassador into the tomb.
410
00:16:55,467 --> 00:16:59,467
[Yael] Can I ask,
do you think that these are
kings and queens or nobles
411
00:16:59,467 --> 00:17:00,467
who are buried here?
412
00:17:00,467 --> 00:17:02,500
Given the location
underneath the Treasury.
413
00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:04,166
[Pearce]
The people here mattered.
414
00:17:04,166 --> 00:17:06,400
Were they kings and queens?
I don't know.
415
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:07,867
[Josh] No question
they must be
416
00:17:07,867 --> 00:17:10,066
significant individuals
to be here, you know?
417
00:17:10,066 --> 00:17:14,166
I mean, where we are
was prime real estate,
still is prime real estate.
418
00:17:14,166 --> 00:17:17,000
-[Yael] Absolutely.
-[Josh] So it has to be
somebody significant for sure.
419
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:18,400
[Pearce speaking]
420
00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,467
[Josh] That's right.
At least 12. At least 12.
421
00:17:20,467 --> 00:17:22,433
-[Yael]
Archeologists' humor.
-[Josh] Yeah, exactly.
422
00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:25,800
I have to say,
in coming here,
423
00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:30,166
my assumption was that
we weren't going to to be
looking at human remains.
424
00:17:30,166 --> 00:17:32,767
I just thought that at Petra,
that didn't happen.
425
00:17:32,767 --> 00:17:33,967
[Pearce]
It's exceedingly rare.
426
00:17:33,967 --> 00:17:36,166
-[Yael] Truly
once-in-a-lifetime.
-[Pearce] Absolutely.
427
00:17:36,166 --> 00:17:38,000
[Josh]
Having been lucky enough
428
00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,500
to visit famous
archeological sites,
429
00:17:40,500 --> 00:17:41,867
heritage sites
around the world,
430
00:17:41,867 --> 00:17:43,667
there really is
nothing like Petra.
431
00:17:43,667 --> 00:17:44,867
[Yael] And it keeps
getting better and better
432
00:17:44,867 --> 00:17:46,367
because there keep being
finds like this.
433
00:17:46,367 --> 00:17:49,600
And I'm so grateful
for the work that Jordanian
and American archeologists
434
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,066
and researchers
are doing together
435
00:17:51,066 --> 00:17:54,100
because it enables
incredible discoveries
like this.
436
00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:56,900
It's just the latest chapter
in the great partnership
437
00:17:56,900 --> 00:18:00,367
between the United States
and Jordan in archeology
438
00:18:00,367 --> 00:18:03,000
and in preservation
of Jordan's incredible
cultural heritage.
439
00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,867
-[Josh] Yeah.
-[Pearce] It's a smorgasbord
of archeology.
440
00:18:05,867 --> 00:18:06,867
-[Yael] Yes.
-[Josh] Yeah, that's right.
441
00:18:06,867 --> 00:18:08,567
-A lifetime of work
to be done.
-[Yael] Yes.
442
00:18:08,567 --> 00:18:09,867
-[Pearce]
You better get to work.
-[Yael] Yeah.
443
00:18:09,867 --> 00:18:11,000
What are you guys doing?
444
00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:12,200
-Come on. Stop slacking off.
-[Josh] Sorry, Ambassador.
445
00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,233
Back to work,
back to work.
446
00:18:15,367 --> 00:18:16,767
The ambassador
takes her leave,
447
00:18:16,767 --> 00:18:18,767
and we return
to the excavation
448
00:18:18,767 --> 00:18:22,000
until the sun sets
behind the canyon walls.
449
00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,467
The team doesn't want
to stray too far from this
important discovery,
450
00:18:25,467 --> 00:18:29,700
so I'm offered yet another
once-in-a-lifetime
experience,
451
00:18:29,700 --> 00:18:34,934
an invitation to camp
in front of the Treasury
with the local Bedouin tribe.
452
00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,066
First of all,
thank you so much for this.
453
00:18:39,066 --> 00:18:39,867
It's incredible.
454
00:18:39,867 --> 00:18:42,467
An amazing place
to spend the night.
455
00:18:42,467 --> 00:18:43,700
[tribesman speaking]
456
00:18:57,567 --> 00:18:59,367
[Josh] The Bedouins are,
in many ways,
457
00:18:59,367 --> 00:19:01,867
the cultural descendants
of the Nabateans,
458
00:19:01,867 --> 00:19:05,166
and they have been living
and working in Petra
for centuries.
459
00:19:05,166 --> 00:19:09,000
For that reason,
the site has never been
truly abandoned.
460
00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,200
And how long
have you lived here?
461
00:19:13,667 --> 00:19:15,500
You're--
You're 75 years?
462
00:19:16,367 --> 00:19:18,000
You look amazing.
463
00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,900
Is Petra very different today
than when you were young?
464
00:19:20,900 --> 00:19:22,967
-[tribesman speaking]
-It must be a different world.
465
00:19:22,967 --> 00:19:23,967
[tribesman speaking]
466
00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,834
You like it better
now or then?
467
00:19:29,767 --> 00:19:32,200
-Yeah? Why?
-[tribesman speaking]
468
00:19:44,567 --> 00:19:46,000
[Josh] We continue
the conversation
469
00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,166
over a home-cooked
lamb dinner
470
00:19:48,166 --> 00:19:49,934
fit for a Nabatean king.
471
00:19:52,767 --> 00:19:55,233
I like the Bedouin life.
This is nice.
472
00:19:57,300 --> 00:19:58,233
I am a Bedouin.
473
00:19:58,233 --> 00:20:00,467
-Honorary Bedouin.
-[tribesman] Yeah. Yeah.
474
00:20:00,467 --> 00:20:02,000
[Josh] This is
a complete stranger
475
00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:03,767
who has given us
sumptuous food
476
00:20:03,767 --> 00:20:05,900
and a safe place
to sleep for the night,
477
00:20:05,900 --> 00:20:09,667
a tradition
that he has passed on
to the next generations.
478
00:20:09,667 --> 00:20:11,533
How many children
do you have?
479
00:20:13,567 --> 00:20:16,233
I'm afraid to ask this.
How many grandchildren?
480
00:20:19,100 --> 00:20:20,600
[Josh] Whoo!
481
00:20:23,066 --> 00:20:24,700
-Well, yes,
they're all related to you.
-[tribesman] Yeah.
482
00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,000
You know,
after this wonderful meal,
483
00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,166
we're gonna sleep
easy tonight.
484
00:20:30,166 --> 00:20:31,500
I know. We're going
to sleep very easy.
485
00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:32,600
Ah, you will.
486
00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,400
-Well, thank you
very much again. Shukran.
-Welcome.
487
00:20:35,100 --> 00:20:36,667
[Josh] Thank you.
488
00:20:36,667 --> 00:20:40,467
There is truly no hospitality
like Bedouin hospitality.
489
00:20:40,467 --> 00:20:42,400
It is a point
of cultural pride,
490
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,567
and one that I'm grateful
to benefit from
491
00:20:44,567 --> 00:20:48,000
as we drift asleep
in the shadow
of the ancients.
492
00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:56,100
As soon
as the sun rises, though,
493
00:20:56,100 --> 00:20:58,100
we're back
digging in the tomb.
494
00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,100
Now that we've exposed
most of the skeletons,
495
00:21:01,100 --> 00:21:03,000
our plan is
to brush around them,
496
00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,767
looking for
any burial offerings.
497
00:21:05,767 --> 00:21:07,533
Look at this skeleton.
498
00:21:08,266 --> 00:21:10,400
It's incredible.
It looks really complete.
499
00:21:12,266 --> 00:21:13,367
So, legs here.
500
00:21:13,367 --> 00:21:15,667
Looks like
the feet are missing.
501
00:21:15,667 --> 00:21:18,300
[Pearce] Just--
It's so delicate.
502
00:21:18,300 --> 00:21:20,700
[Josh] Yeah, you can
hardly even dust it.
503
00:21:20,700 --> 00:21:23,133
The bone is just so fragile.
504
00:21:24,767 --> 00:21:27,000
Oh, my God.
Look at this.
505
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,333
-Do you see this?
-[Pearce] I do see this.
506
00:21:29,867 --> 00:21:30,734
[Josh] Is that a vessel?
507
00:21:30,734 --> 00:21:32,867
[Pearce] It looks like
something there.
508
00:21:32,867 --> 00:21:34,367
[Josh] I can't believe
I'm saying this,
509
00:21:34,367 --> 00:21:38,800
but that looks exactly like
the Grail from Last Crusade.
510
00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,100
I can't believe
I'm saying this,
511
00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:51,200
-but that looks like
the cup of a carpenter.
-[Pearce chuckles]
512
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,000
It does. Admit that
it looks just like it.
513
00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:55,500
[Pearce] It looks
exactly like it.
514
00:21:57,166 --> 00:21:59,266
[Josh] The Treasury in Petra
is world famous
515
00:21:59,266 --> 00:22:01,367
as the resting place
for the Holy Grail
516
00:22:01,367 --> 00:22:04,066
in Indiana Jones
and the Last Crusade.
517
00:22:04,066 --> 00:22:05,867
And up until
about ten seconds ago,
518
00:22:05,867 --> 00:22:08,300
I was sure
that was just a movie.
519
00:22:09,367 --> 00:22:10,867
It's just
such a coincidence
520
00:22:10,867 --> 00:22:14,100
-that directly
underneath the Treasury...
-[Pearce] Uh-huh.
521
00:22:14,100 --> 00:22:16,400
-...the building
from Last Crusade.
-Yeah, yeah.
522
00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,000
You know what
everybody's gonna think?
523
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,233
-We planted it.
-[Josh] I know.
We did not put this here.
524
00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,600
-[Pearce] It belongs
in a museum.
-[Josh laughs]
525
00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,400
[Josh] Jokes aside,
this is an important find.
526
00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:32,166
With so few precious objects
found in the Nabataean burials
here at Petra,
527
00:22:32,166 --> 00:22:35,100
it needs to be preserved.
528
00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:37,400
[Pearce] So I'm gonna brush
a little bit more
around the edges here.
529
00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,100
-It's already loose,
I can feel it shifting.
-[Josh] Okay.
530
00:22:40,100 --> 00:22:45,467
So we're going to take it,
we're gonna put it in a bucket
over there of sand.
531
00:22:45,467 --> 00:22:50,533
[Josh] We delicately clear
the sand around the ceramic
before we attempt to move it.
532
00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:52,600
[Pearce] It's ready
to come out.
533
00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,433
[Josh] Okay, here we go.
534
00:22:55,100 --> 00:22:56,533
Nice and easy.
535
00:22:59,867 --> 00:23:01,133
[Josh exclaims]
536
00:23:02,367 --> 00:23:04,734
Look at that. [exclaims]
537
00:23:06,767 --> 00:23:08,100
Beautiful.
538
00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:10,066
[Pearce] All right.
Careful as we go.
539
00:23:10,066 --> 00:23:12,900
-[Josh] We're taking this
outside to photograph, yes?
-[Pearce] Yeah.
540
00:23:12,900 --> 00:23:15,800
-[Josh] There's
one problem with that.
-[Pearce] What's that?
541
00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,767
The Grail cannot pass
beyond the Great Seal.
542
00:23:18,767 --> 00:23:20,166
[Pearce] It's not the Grail!
543
00:23:20,166 --> 00:23:21,367
That is the boundary, Pearce.
544
00:23:21,367 --> 00:23:23,800
That is the price
of immortality.
545
00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:25,700
All right, sorry,
let's take it out of here.
546
00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:27,500
It looks a lot like the Grail.
547
00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,667
In truth, the piece of ceramic
is actually the top half
of a larger jug.
548
00:23:35,667 --> 00:23:39,667
The most complete piece
of pottery we've found
in the tomb so far.
549
00:23:39,667 --> 00:23:42,600
And while it's doing
a great impression
of the Holy Grail,
550
00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:46,734
Pearce Paul believes it may be
about a century older
than Jesus.
551
00:23:50,066 --> 00:23:52,767
While this
and the other ceramics
we've been finding
552
00:23:52,767 --> 00:23:55,166
look like they may be
early Nabataean,
553
00:23:55,166 --> 00:23:58,266
Pearce Paul needs
to get a more specific date.
554
00:23:58,266 --> 00:24:00,700
Fortunately, there is
an incredible technology
555
00:24:00,700 --> 00:24:03,166
that may be able
to do just that.
556
00:24:03,166 --> 00:24:05,066
So he's called in
Dr. Timothy Kinnaird,
557
00:24:05,066 --> 00:24:07,767
research officer
with Scotland's
558
00:24:07,767 --> 00:24:11,233
St. Andrew's School of Earth
and Environmental Sciences.
559
00:24:12,100 --> 00:24:13,100
-[Josh] Hi there.
-[Pearce] Hi.
560
00:24:13,100 --> 00:24:14,867
Hi, it's good to see you, Tim.
561
00:24:14,867 --> 00:24:16,767
[Pearce] Josh,
this is Tim Kinnaird.
562
00:24:16,767 --> 00:24:18,600
-[Josh] How are you?
Nice to meet you.
-Nice to meet you too.
563
00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,500
He's gonna help us
understand this better.
564
00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:21,567
Okay. So, Tim, tell us
565
00:24:21,567 --> 00:24:22,900
what you're gonna do.
566
00:24:27,266 --> 00:24:29,900
Optically stimulated
luminescence?
567
00:24:29,900 --> 00:24:32,200
That sounds risque.
568
00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:33,333
-[Tim] That is correct.
-[Josh] What is it?
569
00:24:38,066 --> 00:24:39,467
-How?
-[Pearce] He's a witch.
570
00:24:39,467 --> 00:24:40,967
Yeah, exactly.
571
00:24:40,967 --> 00:24:45,266
Every grain of sand
and soil in the tomb
contains particles of quartz.
572
00:24:45,266 --> 00:24:48,367
And when these particles
become deposited in the earth,
573
00:24:48,367 --> 00:24:51,767
they begin to accumulate
faint amounts of radiation.
574
00:24:51,767 --> 00:24:56,100
OSL measures the radiation
and can pinpoint
almost exactly
575
00:24:56,100 --> 00:24:59,200
when a soil sample
was last exposed to light.
576
00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:03,066
Which in this case,
would give us the age
of the burial.
577
00:25:03,066 --> 00:25:05,600
So we're just gonna take
a few soil samples?
578
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:11,900
[Josh] And he
does mean completely.
579
00:25:11,900 --> 00:25:14,767
Exposing the samples
to even a small amount
of light
580
00:25:14,767 --> 00:25:20,000
will reset the clock on them
and make the entire experiment
worthless, so...
581
00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,433
-We have to be
in complete darkness?
-[Tim speaking]
582
00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:27,000
[Pearce] The way
it was intended.
583
00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:31,100
Yeah, sure.
Just seal us in here
with 12 dead bodies.
584
00:25:31,100 --> 00:25:34,667
Okay, sounds scary.
Here we go.
585
00:25:34,667 --> 00:25:38,700
So that this advanced tech
can unlock the date
of this ancient tomb,
586
00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:41,967
Pearce Paul's team
brings in tarps
to seal the entrance,
587
00:25:41,967 --> 00:25:44,967
and we power down
our camera's bright lights.
588
00:25:44,967 --> 00:25:46,867
[Tim speaking]
589
00:25:46,867 --> 00:25:49,000
Yep. This will not
affect the sample?
590
00:26:10,467 --> 00:26:11,667
[Josh] Got it.
591
00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,600
There we go, good sample
from way underneath.
592
00:26:19,100 --> 00:26:20,767
[Josh] Little glints of light
off that quartz.
593
00:26:20,767 --> 00:26:23,266
-[Pearce] Irradiated quartz.
-That's right.
594
00:26:23,266 --> 00:26:24,934
[Josh] Okay,
so we have our samples?
595
00:26:36,667 --> 00:26:38,066
[Josh] Got it.
596
00:26:38,066 --> 00:26:41,166
Tim seals up his samples
for a trip back to his lab,
597
00:26:41,166 --> 00:26:43,667
where he'll get the results
in a few weeks' time,
598
00:26:43,667 --> 00:26:46,233
hopefully pinpointing
the age of the burial.
599
00:26:47,567 --> 00:26:50,433
But just as
one scientist leaves,
another enters.
600
00:26:52,667 --> 00:26:56,967
Dicky Bates, the geophysicist
whose scan first located
the subterranean chamber
601
00:26:56,967 --> 00:26:59,100
in which we're working.
602
00:26:59,100 --> 00:27:01,266
[Josh] Well, good news.
Your radar works.
603
00:27:01,266 --> 00:27:03,567
Wow, that is unbelievable.
604
00:27:03,567 --> 00:27:06,800
[Josh] Pearce Paul
hasn't just called Dicky
down here for a victory lap.
605
00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:08,967
He has one more job for him.
606
00:27:08,967 --> 00:27:12,266
Something about this tomb,
it's not sitting right
with me.
607
00:27:12,266 --> 00:27:16,567
Virtually every other burial
we find here is cut
into the bedrock.
608
00:27:16,567 --> 00:27:18,600
I wanna see why
they chose to build walls.
609
00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:20,166
Why didn't they
cut into the floor?
610
00:27:20,166 --> 00:27:22,266
There's no reason to go
to all of this effort.
611
00:27:22,266 --> 00:27:24,967
-This is an immense effort
to build all these walls.
-[Josh] Yeah.
612
00:27:24,967 --> 00:27:26,600
[Pearce] There's
something else going on
that we should know.
613
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,467
-Is there some big crack
running through here?
-[Josh] Right.
614
00:27:29,467 --> 00:27:31,767
This tomb is unique in Petra.
615
00:27:31,767 --> 00:27:35,367
Every other tomb found to date
has been carved into rock.
616
00:27:35,367 --> 00:27:38,900
Actual partitioning walls
constructed from the floor up
617
00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:40,767
have never been
seen here before.
618
00:27:40,767 --> 00:27:42,767
And he wants to know why.
619
00:27:42,767 --> 00:27:44,600
You know, there's gotta be
some explanation
620
00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,266
-for doing
this atypical thing.
-[Dicky] Yep.
621
00:27:47,266 --> 00:27:49,467
[Josh] To see if there's
something beneath the burials,
622
00:27:49,467 --> 00:27:52,400
Pearce Paul
wants Dicky to scan again.
623
00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,867
This time,
inside the tomb itself.
624
00:27:54,867 --> 00:27:57,367
Okay, do you have
enough room to work in here?
625
00:27:57,367 --> 00:28:01,100
-Well, it's not ideal,
but let's give it a shot.
-[Josh] Okay, let's try it.
626
00:28:03,266 --> 00:28:05,300
Dicky preps the GPR unit.
627
00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:08,767
Though space is tight,
the scanner should be able
628
00:28:08,767 --> 00:28:11,000
to see up to 20 feet
down into the ground.
629
00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:22,767
[Dicky] Hey, guys,
come and have a look at this.
630
00:28:22,767 --> 00:28:24,133
-[Josh] You got something?
-[Dicky] Yeah, now.
631
00:28:25,467 --> 00:28:26,500
Wow.
632
00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:28,500
So here, look at that.
633
00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:29,867
What the hell is that?
634
00:28:29,867 --> 00:28:30,500
Yes?
635
00:28:30,500 --> 00:28:32,266
[Dicky] Rock, rock, rock.
636
00:28:32,266 --> 00:28:33,867
And then what does
that look like?
637
00:28:33,867 --> 00:28:36,300
Wait, what the hell is that?
638
00:28:41,567 --> 00:28:45,767
It's exactly
the same signature as we saw
when we found this tomb.
639
00:28:45,767 --> 00:28:46,667
It's a void.
640
00:28:46,667 --> 00:28:49,100
It's a void
and it's 12 feet beneath us.
641
00:28:49,100 --> 00:28:52,367
[Josh] A GPR scan inside
the newly discovered tomb
642
00:28:52,367 --> 00:28:55,000
beneath Petra's
iconic Treasury building,
643
00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:59,867
is giving Geophysicist
Dicky Bates a serious case
of deja vu.
644
00:28:59,867 --> 00:29:03,100
[Pearce] You know,
the exact same distance
between that and up.
645
00:29:03,100 --> 00:29:05,300
Are you saying
there's another level here?
646
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:08,367
Hey, the geophysics
was right last time,
647
00:29:08,367 --> 00:29:12,367
and this time it's indicating
we've got more below here.
648
00:29:12,367 --> 00:29:14,867
[Josh] This is
a sensational development.
649
00:29:14,867 --> 00:29:19,100
We've discovered that here,
12 feet beneath the Treasury,
is a long lost tomb.
650
00:29:19,100 --> 00:29:22,900
And now 12 feet deeper,
there may well be another.
651
00:29:22,900 --> 00:29:26,000
So the reason they didn't
cut down into the floor
652
00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:27,300
is 'cause there's something
down there.
653
00:29:27,300 --> 00:29:28,667
Because there's
something else going on.
654
00:29:28,667 --> 00:29:32,700
So we're not even done
in here, and the mysteries
of Petra continue.
655
00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:35,867
And also, if this is
another level of tombs,
656
00:29:35,867 --> 00:29:38,867
think about what
that could mean
for the rest of this site.
657
00:29:38,867 --> 00:29:41,200
I mean, it might
go down that far everywhere.
658
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:42,600
[Pearce] It very well could.
659
00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,266
Look, we know in some places,
just standing out
on the surface here,
660
00:29:45,266 --> 00:29:47,800
-you can just barely see
the tops of doors.
-[Josh] Right.
661
00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:50,800
-How deep it goes?
Nobody knows yet
-[Josh] Right.
662
00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:54,600
We've known for ages
that there's a dearth
of information
663
00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,867
-about the early
Nabataean world.
-[Josh] Yes.
664
00:29:56,867 --> 00:30:00,600
We saw a glimpse of them
at Sela, we get a glimpse
of them in a text.
665
00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:04,000
But it goes centuries
without any real,
meaningful information.
666
00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,700
And then it just seems
like Petra arrives
out of nowhere.
667
00:30:06,700 --> 00:30:09,800
[Pearce] Absolutely.
So probably we just haven't
gotten deep enough yet.
668
00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:15,367
Right. That whole story
of the Nabataeans who would,
in time, build this treasury
669
00:30:15,367 --> 00:30:16,567
could be right under our feet.
670
00:30:16,567 --> 00:30:19,400
-[Pearce] Certainly
the beginnings of it.
-[Josh] Yeah.
671
00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,900
So see everybody here
this time next year?
672
00:30:21,900 --> 00:30:23,200
-[Josh] Yeah.
-[Dicky] Got a deal.
673
00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:25,967
Dude. Amazing.
674
00:30:25,967 --> 00:30:28,400
-As always, Dicky, a pleasure.
-[Dicky] A pleasure.
675
00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,900
[Pearce] Glad
we got you around, Bates.
676
00:30:30,900 --> 00:30:34,567
[Josh] Future excavations
will have to tackle the level
below our feet.
677
00:30:34,567 --> 00:30:37,367
But as for the mysterious tomb
we're standing in now,
678
00:30:37,367 --> 00:30:41,000
we have to wait
for the results
of Dr. Kinnaird's OSL test
679
00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:45,000
to confirm its age,
which may shed light
on the Treasury above.
680
00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,166
While we wait,
I'm left wondering
681
00:30:48,166 --> 00:30:50,367
about the most important
mystery of all.
682
00:30:50,367 --> 00:30:54,767
Namely what happened
to the Nabataean civilization
that built Petra?
683
00:30:54,767 --> 00:30:56,433
Where did they go?
684
00:30:56,433 --> 00:31:01,300
To seek the answer,
I leave Pearce Paul and stride
further into the ancient city.
685
00:31:02,266 --> 00:31:05,967
While the Treasury
is the most famous building
at Petra,
686
00:31:05,967 --> 00:31:09,700
it's not the only one
revealing the secrets
of the Nabataeans.
687
00:31:09,700 --> 00:31:13,200
High up on a ridge
just at the edge of town
is another structure.
688
00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,600
One that may reveal the fate
of the city's builders.
689
00:31:20,166 --> 00:31:24,500
Waiting in an epic ruin
is Archeologist
Matthew Vincent.
690
00:31:25,567 --> 00:31:27,367
This is something different.
691
00:31:27,367 --> 00:31:28,700
Well, we try to keep you
on your toes.
692
00:31:28,700 --> 00:31:29,667
What is this place?
693
00:31:29,667 --> 00:31:31,200
Welcome to the Petra Church.
694
00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:32,767
-The Petra Church?
-[Matthew] Yeah.
695
00:31:32,767 --> 00:31:35,867
Okay. Now, if memory serves,
the Nabataeans
were not Christian.
696
00:31:35,867 --> 00:31:38,967
They were around
pre-Christianity
being a thing.
697
00:31:38,967 --> 00:31:41,667
Exactly, so the Nabataeans
are here well before
Christianity.
698
00:31:41,667 --> 00:31:44,100
Right.
699
00:31:44,100 --> 00:31:49,100
The Nabataeans were the most
potent force in this region
for hundreds of years,
700
00:31:49,100 --> 00:31:51,000
but nothing lasts forever.
701
00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:55,467
In 106 AD,
the growing Roman Empire
annexed the Nabataeans
702
00:31:55,467 --> 00:31:58,600
in a bloodless takeover
that ended their autonomy.
703
00:31:59,867 --> 00:32:02,934
And then, something
spectacularly bad happened.
704
00:32:04,100 --> 00:32:07,467
A massive earthquake
happens here in 363 AD.
705
00:32:07,467 --> 00:32:08,667
How massive?
706
00:32:08,667 --> 00:32:11,000
It's basically the end
of the Nabataeans.
707
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:12,900
Really? The city
is just destroyed?
708
00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:14,400
Totally destroyed.
709
00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,900
[Josh] Once the Romans
convert their empire
to Christianity in 380 AD,
710
00:32:18,900 --> 00:32:23,200
new building projects
take on a decidedly
different focus.
711
00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,367
So we can imagine
that when they come back
and they rebuild here,
712
00:32:26,367 --> 00:32:28,700
they rebuild Christian places.
713
00:32:28,700 --> 00:32:31,367
Right, all the pagan temples
are tumbled down
and destroyed,
714
00:32:31,367 --> 00:32:34,266
and so when
Petra gets rebuilt,
it's a Christian town.
715
00:32:34,266 --> 00:32:36,367
And they just build church
after church after church.
716
00:32:36,367 --> 00:32:38,500
Okay, and so this one
is built when?
717
00:32:38,500 --> 00:32:40,166
It started in the 5th century.
718
00:32:40,166 --> 00:32:43,100
And we have these
really beautiful mosaics
all over the floor.
719
00:32:43,100 --> 00:32:44,000
These are awesome.
720
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,066
[Matthew] There are some
fantastic mosaics.
721
00:32:46,066 --> 00:32:47,467
And these are what? Animals?
722
00:32:47,467 --> 00:32:49,567
[Matthew] Yeah,
we've got a lot of animals,
723
00:32:49,567 --> 00:32:51,467
we've got depictions
of daily life as well.
724
00:32:51,467 --> 00:32:53,867
But the animals
are just fantastic here.
725
00:32:53,867 --> 00:32:57,567
But you know,
it's not just these mosaics
that you're seeing here.
726
00:32:57,567 --> 00:32:59,266
One of the most amazing things
we found
727
00:32:59,266 --> 00:33:01,266
is literally just
in that corner over there.
728
00:33:01,266 --> 00:33:02,533
[Josh] And what was
found there?
729
00:33:02,533 --> 00:33:06,900
The largest the cache
of writing in the entire
area of Petra.
730
00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:11,667
One-hundred-and-forty scrolls
found in that back corner
over there.
731
00:33:11,667 --> 00:33:16,367
Wow, that's amazing.
Because there is virtually
nothing written here, right?
732
00:33:16,367 --> 00:33:19,367
A handful of inscriptions
that have been found
across the entire site.
733
00:33:19,367 --> 00:33:20,667
-[Josh] And that's it?
-And that's it.
734
00:33:20,667 --> 00:33:22,266
And what's on them?
735
00:33:22,266 --> 00:33:23,767
Well, that's the problem
right there.
736
00:33:23,767 --> 00:33:25,266
Can you not read the language?
737
00:33:25,266 --> 00:33:26,734
Oh, no, it's all in Greek.
738
00:33:26,734 --> 00:33:28,900
Okay, right, that would
have been the administrative
language at the time.
739
00:33:28,900 --> 00:33:31,000
-[Matthew] Exactly.
-So, the problem is what?
740
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:32,166
This entire church
was destroyed
741
00:33:32,166 --> 00:33:34,900
-in the 7th century
through a fire.
-[Josh] Uh-huh.
742
00:33:34,900 --> 00:33:36,500
[Matthew] Those scrolls
got cooked.
743
00:33:36,500 --> 00:33:38,767
-[Josh] They got toasted.
-[Matthew] Yeah.
744
00:33:38,767 --> 00:33:40,400
Okay, so were they destroyed?
745
00:33:41,166 --> 00:33:43,667
A process
of what's called
carbonization.
746
00:33:43,667 --> 00:33:46,767
Imagine you just
barbecue them.
They're smoked scrolls.
747
00:33:46,767 --> 00:33:49,266
Right, they don't fall apart,
but they're just
kind of briquettes.
748
00:33:49,266 --> 00:33:54,166
Miraculously, though,
some of the 140 scrolls
survived the fire
749
00:33:54,166 --> 00:33:57,600
and were actually able
to be unrolled and read.
750
00:33:57,600 --> 00:33:59,000
They're mostly legal texts.
751
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,867
They describe contracts,
wills, inheritance,
just parts of daily life.
752
00:34:03,867 --> 00:34:06,000
Which is still
hugely valuable, right?
753
00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:07,333
It's incredible.
754
00:34:07,333 --> 00:34:10,200
What we can understand
about Petra in the 5th, 6th,
7th centuries
755
00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:12,567
-is all thanks
to these scrolls.
-[Josh] Right.
756
00:34:12,567 --> 00:34:16,200
But many of the scrolls
were too burned to be legible.
757
00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,367
The charred texts
were reduced to fragments,
758
00:34:19,367 --> 00:34:23,166
layers of papyrus
fused by heat and smoke.
759
00:34:23,166 --> 00:34:25,100
If we could read
more of these scrolls,
760
00:34:25,100 --> 00:34:28,400
we could really begin
to understand what became
of the Nabataeans,
761
00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:29,667
what became of their world.
762
00:34:29,667 --> 00:34:31,467
And at this moment,
we have a team
763
00:34:31,467 --> 00:34:33,900
that are actually trying
to read these scrolls.
764
00:34:33,900 --> 00:34:36,467
How do you read
burned scrolls?
765
00:34:36,467 --> 00:34:38,834
With some
really serious technology.
766
00:34:40,667 --> 00:34:43,000
[Josh] The answer
to the Nabataeans'
final mystery
767
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:46,066
may lie in the remains
of the scrolls from Petra.
768
00:34:46,066 --> 00:34:48,600
So I bid a fond farewell
to the desert
769
00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,400
and fly to where they're
currently being studied.
770
00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:56,433
Six thousand miles away in,
of all places, Lexington,
Kentucky.
771
00:34:58,367 --> 00:35:01,467
No, really. You know,
the place with the bourbon
and the horses.
772
00:35:01,467 --> 00:35:04,166
It's also home
to the University
of Kentucky's
773
00:35:04,166 --> 00:35:06,100
state of the art EduceLab,
774
00:35:06,100 --> 00:35:08,400
which is where
I meet the professor
that's been leading the team
775
00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:13,367
analyzing the most damaged
Petra scroll fragments,
Brent Seales.
776
00:35:13,367 --> 00:35:16,166
Josh, let me introduce you
to the Petra papyri.
777
00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:18,100
-[Josh] This is them?
-[Brent] This is them.
778
00:35:18,100 --> 00:35:19,600
[Josh] Wow, look at that.
779
00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:24,367
We have some varieties here,
but here's a piece
that is especially delicate.
780
00:35:24,367 --> 00:35:25,467
Take a look.
781
00:35:25,467 --> 00:35:29,266
So this is an actual fragment
of papyrus from Petra.
782
00:35:29,266 --> 00:35:32,433
-This is at least
1,500 years old?
-Yeah.
783
00:35:33,166 --> 00:35:34,667
Oh, my word.
784
00:35:34,667 --> 00:35:36,767
This is about as fragile
as the wings of a butterfly.
785
00:35:36,767 --> 00:35:40,467
-Right, just thousands
of tiny flakes.
-[Brent] Thousands.
786
00:35:40,467 --> 00:35:44,667
If I saw this on the ground,
I would ignore it.
787
00:35:44,667 --> 00:35:47,667
I mean, it looks like
a piece of bark, almost.
788
00:35:47,667 --> 00:35:49,567
You can't really see
that there's writing there.
789
00:35:49,567 --> 00:35:51,900
-It's really hard to see
with the naked eye.
-Yeah, not at all.
790
00:35:51,900 --> 00:35:53,200
You're telling me
there's writing on that?
791
00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:56,367
There's writing on almost
every one of these fragments,
yeah.
792
00:35:56,367 --> 00:35:59,266
[Josh] And we are lucky enough
to see how Professor Seales
793
00:35:59,266 --> 00:36:01,700
is deciphering
what's written on them.
794
00:36:01,700 --> 00:36:04,567
He prepares the next two
fragments for analysis.
795
00:36:04,567 --> 00:36:08,800
One the size
of a postage stamp,
the other of a grain of rice.
796
00:36:09,667 --> 00:36:12,000
The experimental process
that he's developed
797
00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:15,000
begins with a visual analysis
under a microscope
798
00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:18,700
that's a wee bit more powerful
than the ones in your
high school bio lab.
799
00:36:19,667 --> 00:36:21,500
Ooh! Is that writing?
800
00:36:21,900 --> 00:36:22,634
[Brent] That's writing.
801
00:36:22,634 --> 00:36:23,867
[Josh] That's ink?
Right there?
802
00:36:23,867 --> 00:36:25,333
[Brent] That is ink.
803
00:36:25,333 --> 00:36:28,166
This fragment is actually
made up of multiple layers
all stuck together.
804
00:36:28,166 --> 00:36:30,367
Wow, and there could be
writing on all
of those layers?
805
00:36:30,367 --> 00:36:31,667
[Brent] Could be writing
on all of them,
806
00:36:31,667 --> 00:36:33,000
but we can only see
the top ones, right?
807
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,000
Right, so we're gonna need
more tech than this.
808
00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:37,734
[Brent] Yeah.
809
00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:42,300
[Josh] The second fragment
is minuscule by comparison
to the first,
810
00:36:42,300 --> 00:36:44,500
so Brent makes
a minor adjustment.
811
00:36:45,767 --> 00:36:48,166
[Brent] Look at that.
That's probably...
812
00:36:48,166 --> 00:36:52,467
I would think
that's maybe half of a Delta
if this is Greek.
813
00:36:52,467 --> 00:36:56,266
That fragment is like
the size of an ant.
814
00:36:56,266 --> 00:36:59,066
And yet,
there's writing on it.
815
00:36:59,066 --> 00:37:01,400
This is like the ultimate
jigsaw puzzle.
816
00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:02,734
It's terrifically difficult.
817
00:37:03,567 --> 00:37:06,100
[Josh] Difficult
is an understatement.
818
00:37:06,100 --> 00:37:08,967
Next, Brent brings
our two fragments
to a different station
819
00:37:08,967 --> 00:37:12,200
for an X-ray fluorescence
spectrum analysis.
820
00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:15,266
This test will break down
the specific elements
821
00:37:15,266 --> 00:37:17,867
used for the ink
inside the fused scroll,
822
00:37:17,867 --> 00:37:20,266
which will then
tell Brent how to read it.
823
00:37:20,266 --> 00:37:23,467
So we're gonna shoot
X-rays of this thing.
Is that right?
824
00:37:23,467 --> 00:37:24,500
That's right.
825
00:37:24,500 --> 00:37:25,567
This allows us to map
composition of our sample.
826
00:37:25,567 --> 00:37:27,667
Elemental composition
across a wide area.
827
00:37:27,667 --> 00:37:29,767
So should I stand back
from this thing?
828
00:37:29,767 --> 00:37:32,066
No, you're safe enough
out here on the other side
of the steel.
829
00:37:32,066 --> 00:37:34,567
Yeah, that's what
they all say, and then...
830
00:37:34,567 --> 00:37:35,567
"Hulk smash."
831
00:37:35,567 --> 00:37:36,700
Here we go.
832
00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:38,734
[beeps]
833
00:37:39,567 --> 00:37:42,233
So now we're scanning
across the scroll's surface.
834
00:37:44,900 --> 00:37:47,266
[Josh] In short order,
the work is done.
835
00:37:47,266 --> 00:37:48,567
So our scan's complete,
836
00:37:48,567 --> 00:37:52,166
and you can see we have
our map encompassing
the entire fragment.
837
00:37:52,166 --> 00:37:54,600
[Josh] And the areas
we previously identified
as writing
838
00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,266
are particularly revealing.
839
00:37:57,266 --> 00:38:00,400
The beautiful result there
is it correlates really well
with lead.
840
00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:04,000
-Lead. Okay, so this ink
has lead in it.
-Mm-hmm.
841
00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,367
And is that good news
in terms of the work
842
00:38:06,367 --> 00:38:08,066
that you wanna do
with these fragments?
843
00:38:08,066 --> 00:38:08,700
No.
844
00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:11,367
It's great news, actually.
845
00:38:11,367 --> 00:38:13,367
-Really?
-Yeah.
846
00:38:13,367 --> 00:38:15,066
Yeah, because lead
is very dense.
847
00:38:15,066 --> 00:38:18,600
In fact, you'll see
these X-ray machines
are shielded with lead.
848
00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:19,767
Right.
849
00:38:19,767 --> 00:38:23,367
So it gives you the ability
to see the ink using X-ray,
850
00:38:23,367 --> 00:38:26,000
-unlike pretty much
any other element.
-[Josh] Wow.
851
00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:27,567
I mean,
it's a fantastic result.
852
00:38:27,567 --> 00:38:28,800
[Josh] Wow, okay.
853
00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:31,567
Lead is the ideal ink base
for this process,
854
00:38:31,567 --> 00:38:33,367
which will help us
reveal the writing
855
00:38:33,367 --> 00:38:35,667
not only
on the outer layers
of the fragment,
856
00:38:35,667 --> 00:38:38,700
but the ones
hidden beneath as well.
857
00:38:38,700 --> 00:38:41,467
The next step from here
is to use X-ray
858
00:38:41,467 --> 00:38:43,000
that penetrates
all the way through,
859
00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:46,367
and, in fact, not just
two-dimensional X-ray,
but 3D X-ray.
860
00:38:46,367 --> 00:38:47,300
We call it tomography.
861
00:38:47,300 --> 00:38:48,367
-[Josh] Tomography?
-Yeah.
862
00:38:48,367 --> 00:38:50,367
Okay, you got
a machine for that?
863
00:38:50,367 --> 00:38:52,934
Oh yeah, we have
a big machine for that.
864
00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:58,567
Josh, meet the Phoenix.
865
00:38:58,567 --> 00:39:00,600
Okay, how powerful
are those X-rays?
866
00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:04,367
Well, they can go through
metal, rock, an engine block.
867
00:39:04,367 --> 00:39:06,367
-Me?
-You, easily.
868
00:39:06,367 --> 00:39:07,567
-Anything?
-Anything.
869
00:39:07,567 --> 00:39:08,667
Okay.
870
00:39:08,667 --> 00:39:11,200
The scroll fragments
are placed in a special mount
871
00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:13,867
to keep them rock steady
as the machine works
872
00:39:13,867 --> 00:39:16,600
and then Brent secures
the shielded door.
873
00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:20,667
Okay, we're gonna
fire the X-ray.
874
00:39:20,667 --> 00:39:22,467
[Michael] Our detector
is live.
875
00:39:22,467 --> 00:39:24,900
This is a live X-ray image?
876
00:39:24,900 --> 00:39:28,800
And there's our sample holder.
And our fragment
is in here somewhere, yes?
877
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:31,367
Yes, the shadow you can see
is sort of outlined
right there.
878
00:39:31,367 --> 00:39:32,600
[Josh] Okay.
879
00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,266
As they rotate,
the samples are bombarded
with X-rays
880
00:39:35,266 --> 00:39:37,767
from two powerful emitters.
881
00:39:37,767 --> 00:39:42,000
The Phoenix creates thousands
of X-ray snapshots
from every angle,
882
00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,600
which will be combined
to form 3D models
of the scroll fragments.
883
00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:48,100
If everything works
as it should,
884
00:39:48,100 --> 00:39:51,000
the end result will allow us
to virtually separate
885
00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:53,900
the individual layers
of papyrus,
886
00:39:53,900 --> 00:39:58,000
revealing lost writing
from Petra recorded
1,500 years ago.
887
00:40:00,266 --> 00:40:02,166
[beeps]
888
00:40:03,266 --> 00:40:07,634
After a matter of minutes,
we gather around a workstation
to view the results.
889
00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:10,300
Okay, moment of truth.
You ready?
890
00:40:10,300 --> 00:40:11,867
-Sure.
-[Josh] Let's see what we got.
891
00:40:11,867 --> 00:40:13,100
Let's take a look
at the model.
892
00:40:13,100 --> 00:40:14,800
Oh, look at that!
893
00:40:21,867 --> 00:40:23,467
That is incredible.
894
00:40:23,467 --> 00:40:26,233
And that's
fully manipulatable?
895
00:40:26,233 --> 00:40:28,667
Yeah, so we can rotate
and see it from all angles.
896
00:40:28,667 --> 00:40:30,166
[Josh] That's insane.
897
00:40:30,166 --> 00:40:33,467
Professor Brent Seales
of the University of Kentucky
has just performed
898
00:40:33,467 --> 00:40:35,967
a state of the art scan
of rare fragments
899
00:40:35,967 --> 00:40:40,166
from a charred scroll
from the ancient city
of Petra.
900
00:40:40,166 --> 00:40:44,000
We're hoping his new technique
will allow us to virtually
peel apart
901
00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,600
the fragment's layers
for the first time.
902
00:40:47,367 --> 00:40:49,266
So, yeah, you can
see the fibers.
903
00:40:49,266 --> 00:40:53,166
If I circle around,
we come to the other side.
904
00:40:53,166 --> 00:40:55,667
You can see a unique pattern
on the other side.
905
00:40:55,667 --> 00:40:58,800
Right. And this here,
is this ink?
906
00:40:59,166 --> 00:41:00,367
[Brent] Yeah, that's ink.
907
00:41:00,367 --> 00:41:02,066
-[Josh] This is writing
right here?
-That's writing.
908
00:41:02,066 --> 00:41:04,166
[Josh] That's really wild.
909
00:41:04,166 --> 00:41:06,266
So now if we look
at the smaller fragment,
910
00:41:06,266 --> 00:41:09,266
which we can peel back
and look at the inner
layers...
911
00:41:09,266 --> 00:41:10,200
[Josh] Right.
912
00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:12,867
The top layer matches
exactly what we saw
913
00:41:12,867 --> 00:41:15,400
in the optical microscope
and in the XRF.
914
00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:19,667
Right, we have this kind of,
you know, part of a letter
here maybe.
915
00:41:19,667 --> 00:41:23,166
-Peel that away and you can
see the other piece--
-[Josh] That's underneath it?
916
00:41:23,166 --> 00:41:25,333
[Brent] That's underneath,
that's a hidden layer, yeah.
917
00:41:25,333 --> 00:41:28,266
-That's a hidden layer
with ink that's not visible?
-That's right.
918
00:41:28,266 --> 00:41:30,367
-To the naked eye?
-Yeah.
919
00:41:30,367 --> 00:41:36,467
So nobody has laid eyes
on this part of this fragment
or that ink, that writing,
920
00:41:36,467 --> 00:41:37,567
in over a millennium.
921
00:41:37,567 --> 00:41:39,000
It would be impossible.
922
00:41:40,367 --> 00:41:42,367
[Josh] This is a huge win.
923
00:41:42,367 --> 00:41:45,166
We've been able to separate
the layers of a scroll
924
00:41:45,166 --> 00:41:47,934
that were literally
fused together by fire
925
00:41:47,934 --> 00:41:51,400
and read the ink
on multiple layers.
926
00:41:51,400 --> 00:41:53,166
We are the first people
to look at it right now.
927
00:41:53,166 --> 00:41:55,000
That's time travel
right there.
928
00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,367
It is, and if you think
about putting together
an entire row of text
929
00:41:58,367 --> 00:41:59,567
and then an entire page,
930
00:41:59,567 --> 00:42:01,934
we will be the first people
to read that.
931
00:42:01,934 --> 00:42:05,333
[Josh] The fragments
we've deciphered here
are consistent with others
932
00:42:05,333 --> 00:42:08,100
that Brent has run
through this new process.
933
00:42:08,100 --> 00:42:10,667
The results can
already help us learn more
934
00:42:10,667 --> 00:42:12,467
about the fate
of the Nabataeans
935
00:42:12,467 --> 00:42:16,667
after being absorbed
by the Roman and then
Byzantine Empire.
936
00:42:16,667 --> 00:42:19,867
So let's talk about
what's on these fragments.
What are we seeing here?
937
00:42:19,867 --> 00:42:23,467
This is Greek.
It's the official language
of the Byzantine Empire.
938
00:42:23,467 --> 00:42:25,934
It's what they were using,
this is not unexpected.
939
00:42:25,934 --> 00:42:31,166
What is surprising is that
there are Greek translations
Of Arabic and Aramaic names
940
00:42:31,166 --> 00:42:33,667
in that Greek-written
language.
941
00:42:33,667 --> 00:42:38,667
[Josh] This discovery means
that the Nabataean language,
a distinct dialect of Aramaic,
942
00:42:38,667 --> 00:42:41,066
was still in use
hundreds of years
943
00:42:41,066 --> 00:42:43,867
after the fall
of the Nabataean kingdom.
944
00:42:43,867 --> 00:42:47,100
So even though
what we're seeing
in these fragments is Greek,
945
00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:50,667
they are clearly translating
these other languages
946
00:42:50,667 --> 00:42:54,367
that are presumably
then being used still
in this place.
947
00:42:54,367 --> 00:42:56,367
That's right, they haven't
left those languages behind.
948
00:42:56,367 --> 00:42:58,767
-They've translated
those names into Greek.
-Right.
949
00:42:58,767 --> 00:43:01,834
And so you can see
the influence of all three
of those languages.
950
00:43:01,834 --> 00:43:03,467
Greek, Aramaic, and Arabic.
951
00:43:03,467 --> 00:43:06,100
[Josh] Far from being crushed
by their conquerors,
952
00:43:06,100 --> 00:43:11,367
Nabataean language and culture
appear to have endured later
into history.
953
00:43:11,367 --> 00:43:12,500
We often ask this question,
954
00:43:12,500 --> 00:43:15,066
"What happened
to the Nabataeans?
Where did they go?"
955
00:43:15,066 --> 00:43:18,166
But it seems like maybe
they haven't gone anywhere,
956
00:43:18,166 --> 00:43:21,734
they're just part
of the new culture.
957
00:43:21,734 --> 00:43:23,967
[Brent] Yes,
what tells the story
is the language.
958
00:43:23,967 --> 00:43:26,500
It's the crossroads,
and you can see it
in the language.
959
00:43:26,500 --> 00:43:28,934
Right, we're seeing the people
themselves in this writing.
960
00:43:28,934 --> 00:43:30,200
That's right.
961
00:43:30,200 --> 00:43:34,467
And the Nabataeans
and their language
is still a part of that.
962
00:43:34,667 --> 00:43:36,166
Yep, absolutely.
963
00:43:36,166 --> 00:43:38,367
[Josh] And they
remain with us today.
964
00:43:38,367 --> 00:43:41,667
Nabataean Aramaic
developed into modern Arabic,
965
00:43:41,667 --> 00:43:45,000
which is not only spoken
by 400 million people,
966
00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:49,133
but produced the system
of numbers that you and I
still use today.
967
00:43:49,133 --> 00:43:51,767
So every time
you count to...
well, anything,
968
00:43:51,767 --> 00:43:54,000
we have the Nabataeans
to thank for it.
969
00:43:54,467 --> 00:43:55,767
The ink doesn't lie?
970
00:43:55,767 --> 00:43:57,166
It does not.
971
00:44:01,867 --> 00:44:03,500
[Josh] At their height,
the Nabataeans flourished
972
00:44:03,500 --> 00:44:06,767
because of their skills
at survival.
973
00:44:06,767 --> 00:44:10,967
They were, after all, a people
able to turn the desert green.
974
00:44:10,967 --> 00:44:13,967
Now, after examining these
scroll fragments from Petra,
975
00:44:13,967 --> 00:44:19,033
we see evidence
that the Nabataeans' culture
was just as resilient.
976
00:44:19,033 --> 00:44:23,734
Even today, their language,
their mastery of the desert,
and their traditions
977
00:44:23,734 --> 00:44:27,800
can be seen in the Bedouins
that still call Petra home.
978
00:44:28,767 --> 00:44:30,467
As for the city's
original residents,
979
00:44:30,467 --> 00:44:37,000
we now have the results
of Dr. Kinnaird's optically
stimulated luminescence test.
980
00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:40,467
He was able to confirm
that the burial
under the Treasury
981
00:44:40,467 --> 00:44:44,467
was likely from the first half
of the 1st century BC.
982
00:44:44,467 --> 00:44:49,900
We also now have results
on the pottery which is dated
to the exact same time.
983
00:44:51,767 --> 00:44:56,066
This means the Treasury above
must have been built
after this time period,
984
00:44:56,066 --> 00:45:02,333
likely coinciding
with the reign of the powerful
Nabataean king, Aretas IV.
985
00:45:02,333 --> 00:45:07,066
This is the strongest
evidence yet of the Treasury's
true age.
986
00:45:07,066 --> 00:45:09,033
And there's more...
987
00:45:10,166 --> 00:45:14,867
Surveys of the tomb show
that it is perfectly aligned
with the entrance to the Siq.
988
00:45:14,867 --> 00:45:19,567
This is a clear indication
that our tomb was built
for an important family.
989
00:45:19,567 --> 00:45:22,000
And quite possibly,
a royal one.
990
00:45:23,567 --> 00:45:27,467
This points to one
distinct possibility
for the Treasury's purpose.
991
00:45:27,467 --> 00:45:32,100
As the lavish
final resting place
of King Aretas IV.
992
00:45:32,100 --> 00:45:33,867
Two thousand years
later, though,
993
00:45:33,867 --> 00:45:36,467
it is a monument
not to a single man,
994
00:45:36,467 --> 00:45:39,000
but to an entire
lost civilization,
995
00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:43,033
which, it turns out,
isn't so lost after all.
996
00:45:43,033 --> 00:45:46,400
So if you make your way
to Petra, and you should,
997
00:45:46,400 --> 00:45:50,233
be sure to look up
at the stunning
rock-carved ruins,
998
00:45:50,233 --> 00:45:53,967
but also down
because just beneath
your feet,
999
00:45:53,967 --> 00:45:59,000
more answers and more wonders
are just waiting to be found.