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.
What they discovered could offer much-needed insight into the Nabateans, a people who initially settled the region in the 4th century B.C., but grew wealthy by trading incense and spices. Beneath Al-Khazneh, the team found a secret tomb with twelve complete human skeletons and dozens of ceramic, bronze, and iron artifacts.
During previous excavations in 2003, researchers found two underground tombs, though rumors told of a third secret chamber hidden on the site. Now, those rumors have been proven true. Additionally, those previous excavations only included partial human skeletons, but this year’s dig uncovered complete skeletal remains—a rare find in Petra. As archaeologist Pearce Paul Creasman said in a press statement:
There is so much that we have yet to learn about The Treasury. When was this remarkable structure built, and why? Little did we know that this dig might completely change what we know about The Treasury and help solve the mysteries of the Nabataean people. With the support of the Jordanian government, this excavation is bringing us closer than ever to answers.
And in a delightful instance of life imitating art (or perhaps art imitating life), one of the grave goods was a ceramic goblet that does resemble the Holy Grail from Indiana Jones:
The Apollo Belvedere has been restored and is back on display at the Vatican:
After years of careful restoration, the 2nd-century Roman statue of the Greek god Apollo is back on display at the Vatican Museums. The statue received its name from the Vatican’s Belvedere courtyard, where it was housed beginning in 1508.
The statue is a marble copy of a Greek bronze from 330 B.C., likely by the Athenian artist Leochares. It was discovered in 1489 during excavations in Rome and purchased by Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, who brought it to the Vatican upon being elected Pope Julius II.
Restorations began in 2019, after fractures were discovered in the statue’s legs. Other repairs included laser cleaning and the installation of a carbon fiber pole to better anchor the statue to its base.
“Chalk and cheese in the Cyclades”
In the interest of supporting other Substack publications, I thought it’d be nice to feature an article by another writer in every Roundup. This week is a piece by Marco & Sabrina, whose publication was recently renamed Nomad Foodies—a perfect name for their fabulous escapades from around the world. This week, they shared a piece called “Chalk and cheese in the Cyclades,” which will whisk you away to the Greek islands (and features a recipe at the end).
They do such a wonderful job of bringing to life the people and places they encounter. Be sure to check out their work below:
A few more stories that may interest you…
This garden near Visoko, Bosnia and Herzegovina was modeled on Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. The photos are beautiful!
Archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the University of Münster have uncovered what might be the earliest Christian church in Armenia. The building dates to the 4th century—an extraordinary find. As one of the researchers, Dr. Mkrtich H. Zardaryan, commented: “Octagonal churches were unknown here until now, but we are very familiar with them from the Eastern Mediterranean region, where they first appeared in the 4th century A.D.”
Also, this week was the Hunter’s Moon—the year’s largest supermoon! In case you missed it, here are some gorgeous images from around the world.
And finally, witches hitting the waves (for charity):
This story was too sweet; I couldn’t leave it out. Across the United States, various charitable organizations are hosting Halloween-themed fundraisers, in which participants dress up as witches and go paddle-boarding in vast numbers.
I would personally find it hilarious to witness hundreds of witches silhouetted against the sky as they paddle through the ocean, and apparently, I’m not the only one. Witches on the Water, an organization on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, has raised over $80,000 for local charities since launching their events in 2020. Others, such as the popular Witches and Warlocks Paddle Parade in Tarpon Springs, Florida, are just for fun.
What a lovely surprise, Nicole! Thank you so much for including us in this roundup.