Anna Nielsen, Brigham Young University
The ancient city of Petra, Jordan, capital of the Nabataean kingdom that flourished during the time of Christ, is famous for its elaborate and monumental tombs. However, while much has been written on the construction and artistic influences of these tombs, little research has been conducted on the wide variety of burial types found inside them. By comparing burial type (principally primary and secondary burials) to tomb façade types, age at death, and gender, I hope to discover more about Nabataean mortuary rituals. This should reveal new insights into the status of women, lifestyle differences between wealthy and poor, and influences of outside religious beliefs from other areas of the Ancient Near East. My advisor and I will analyze frequencies of burial types among different subgroups within Nabataean society, particularly with regards to age, sex and socioeconomic status. Using all available published reports of Nabataean burial excavations, our own experiences excavating in Jordan, and BYU’s extensive collection of Nabataean grave goods and skeletal remains, we will gather data on the rates of primary burial (simple deposition of a corpse into a grave) and secondary burial (defleshing of bodies through exposure after death, after which the bones are gathered and deposited into a grave). After converting this information into a form suitable for statistical analysis, we will then examine relationships between each burial type and gender, age at death, and apparent wealth, determined by type of tomb façade, available inscriptions and richness of grave goods. Unfortunately, most Nabataean burials have been robbed or disturbed in some way, so I will also consider this variable to extrapolate information from what is not present in the archaeological record. This project will examine the cultural and religious origins of both burial types and explore the question of whether secondary burial was performed merely for efficient use of tomb space, or if it had a greater significance in establishing a shared ancestral identity after death. I also hope to provide fresh insights into the Nabataean views on the afterlife and a possible ancestral cult that was the object of reverence or worship.