Public lecture for Australians Studying Abroad (ASA)
Narrative
The ancient city of Petra is characterised by the hundreds of monumental tombs that are carved in its rocky landscape. While the decorative façades of these tombs have received much attention in scholarship, the interiors are often overlooked because they were looted and lived in over the centuries. This lecture examines the little-known burial chambers and funerary space behind these façades based on Dr Wadeson’s surveys and excavations. The elusive burial customs of the Nabataeans are elucidated, and we explore their fascinating practice of dining with the dead.