Discovering secret graves at 'Indiana Jones' background site

A completely untouched secret tomb has been discovered in the Jordanian city ruins of Petra, one of the "seven New Wonders of the World," CNN reported.

An archaeological research team led by Dr. Pierce Paul Krisman of the United States says it has unearthed a secret tomb underground in Al Khazna, one of Petra's most elaborate ruins built by the ancient nomadic Nabatea.

Two tombs were discovered in 2003 on the left side of the basement of Al Khazna, which was also the setting for the 1989 film "Indiana Jones: The Last Temple" as a tomb carved from a red sandstone rock mountain.

Dr. Krisman expected another tomb to exist here and used remote sensing technology earlier this year to determine if the physical features of the left side of the basement of Al Khazna, where the tomb was discovered 21 years ago, matched the right.

The findings revealed similarities in the physical properties of Al-Khazna's left and right underground, and the team asked the Jordanian government to excavate the Al-Khazna underground.

The excavation, which began in August with the Discovery Channel crew, produced remarkable results.

In the meantime, only almost empty or damaged tombs have been excavated in Petra, the ruins of the ancient Nabatea, and the newly identified graveyard remained in its original form as if it had not been burned by humans.

The remains of 12 bodies, as well as the burial materials of copper and iron pottery, were preserved in perfect form.

Dr. Krisman said, "Those from under Al-Khazna are rare artifacts that will help us understand the kingdom era of the Nabatea, a nomadic tribe that was revived from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD."

Discovery Channel host Josh Gates said, "It's a very rare discovery. In the two centuries that archaeologists have examined Petra, nothing like it has been discovered."