Petra is one of the wonders of the world. It’s red stone walls and incredible temples have been featured in blockbusters such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and The Martian. Despite all the international attention and tourists, archaeologists have just made a major discovery that has been sitting in plain sight.
Less than a kilometre from the town’s centre, an enormous ceremonial platform with a smaller platform on top of it has been discovered. In the middle of the smaller platform sits a building facing a row of columns and a staircase to the east. The site is large enough to be spotted in satellite pictures, which was how it was discovered.
The find is great news for Jordan’s tourism industry, which has witnessed a drastic fall in the number of visitors since the Syrian war began. It is also a humble reminder of how much we have left to discover, even in our most popular tourist attractions.
