By Alimat Aliyeva

Archaeologists have discovered a secret tomb in the Al-Khazneh monument in Petra (Jordan), Azernews reports.

A long-immured tomb containing the remains of 12 ancient skeletons and funerary offerings was discovered after research teams used remote sensing technology.

The discovery comes more than two decades after similar tombs were discovered on the other side of the famous El Khazneh monument, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and attracts more than a million visitors a year.

The goal of British and American researchers from St. Andrews University in the UK, the Department of Antiquities of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Jordan and the American Research Center was to assess the condition of the area around the monument using electromagnetic conductivity and ground-penetrating radar, but in the end they made an exciting discovery. After discovering the underground chambers, the researchers excavated and found the tomb.

Geophysicist and professor at St. Andrews University Richard Bates said that among the remains, most likely, there are both men and women, and the age varies from children to adults. The researchers believe that the find may give a new insight into the treasury and the inhabitants of the Nabataean kingdom.

Archaeologists have discovered that the walls inside the tomb date back to the period between the middle of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 2nd century AD.