Guide
Early Jewish Tombs
4th Century BCE–6th Century CE
Restricted
By Carol Bakhos
Related Primary Sources
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The Sanhedriyya Tomb Complex
Instead of erecting a monumental nefesh (a pyramid structure atop a tomb), some elite Judean families showed off their wealth and status by decorating a tomb façade, as in the case of the sixty-three…
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Sanhedriyya Tomb Façade
In front of the Sanhedriyya tomb complex lay an open courtyard (forecourt), probably used for mourning rituals, furnished with rock-hewn benches on its sides, presumably to accommodate visitors. The…
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Sanhedriyya Tomb Interior
Family burial caves were prevalent during the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, although rock-cut cave tombs, popular in the region from the early Canaanite period (3100–2900 BCE) through the…
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Jason’s Tomb
Entry into the tomb of Jason, who was possibly a naval commander, was through a long corridor divided into three successive courtyards. These led to a porch with a centrally placed column at its…
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Absalom’s Tomb
The site of Qumran contains a classic example of a cemetery with shaft graves, dating to the late Hellenistic and early Roman periods. The poorest members of society were buried in such graves and in…
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Bene Ḥezir Tomb
The tomb of Bene Ḥezir is located in the Kidron Valley, adjacent to the tombs of Zechariah and Absalom, opposite the Temple Mount. The Bene Ḥezir tomb has a porticoed façade, with two Doric columns…