The new findings were revealed by Prof. Ehud Netzer from the Institute of Archeology at the Hebrew University who discovered the tomb of King Herod in May 2007
New archeological findings were recently uncovered at Mount Herodion, the residence of King Herod and his burial place. The new findings were revealed by Prof. Ehud Netzer from the Institute of Archeology at the Hebrew Universitydiscovered the tomb of King Herod May 2007. Among the new discoveries: a theater with an Achaim room and two coffins in which Herod's wife and the wife of his son Archilaus were probably buried. The new findings strengthen the hypothesis that the tomb uncovered last year is indeed the tomb of King Herod.
Herod, king of Judah between 37 BC and 4 BC, was known for the remarkable construction projects he initiated and established throughout the country, among them: the rebuilding of the Temple and the expansion of the Temple Mount, the rebuilding of the cities of Samaria and Caesarea, and the construction of a place His residence and fortress and finally also his burial place - Herodion Palace, which is located 15 km south of Jerusalem.
The Mausoleum of Herod
The mausoleum (magnificent tomb structure) in which Herod's coffin was located was almost completely restored this year, after the architectural items found on the remains of the structure and around it were studied. The reconstruction shows that the mausoleum was a two-story structure, 25 meters high, built on a podium base with a roof in the shape of a concave cone, a structure that matched the king's status and taste. Prof. Netzer claims that the mausoleum was destroyed by the Jewish warriors who occupied the site during the first revolt against the Romans in 66 AD. "The Herodian Palace was built in order to be used later as the burial place of Herod, who vowed at the beginning of his journey to be buried in an arid and isolated place. Herod chose to build the palace and establish the tomb estate in Mount Herodion because this place overlooks Jerusalem and its surroundings," says Prof. Netzer.
The coffins of Herod's family members
In the excavation that took place this year in the area of the mausoleum, the remains of two more white colored coffins were found in which probably the members of Herod's family were buried. Herod's reddish coffin that was shown last year has now been fully restored along with the largest of the white coffins. Despite the discovery of these two coffins, Prof. Netzer speculates that the reddish coffin, with the rosettes (round rose-like decoration), is the coffin in which Herod was buried since this coffin is unusual in its processing, its meticulous polishing and its elegant simplicity. Unlike the white coffins, the reddish coffin was broken into hundreds of pieces and scattered all over the mausoleum. Prof. Netzer estimates that in the white coffin, the larger of the two, which is decorated with plant patterns, Maltaki ("the Samaritan"), the fifth wife of Herod and the mother of his son Archilaus, was buried. Malataki died in Rome a few months after her husband's death and it is likely that her body was brought back from Rome to Judea and placed by Herod's side. It is possible that the second wife of Archelaus, Herod's son, who died in 5 AD, was buried in the second coffin, but this cannot yet be said for sure.
A theater with a grandstand with unique decorations
Not far from the mausoleum, a theater was uncovered that could have accommodated 650 to 750 spectators. At the top of the seating area is a large room, a sort of honor stand, from where the king and his closest friends watched the performances. The walls of the room are decorated with paintings that date from 15 to 10 BC. The wall paintings were painted on dry plaster (sco) and not on wet plaster (fresco) which was the accepted method of painting with Herod. Only a few fragments of the surviving frescoes on the walls of the room have been uncovered so far. Among the paintings, which were until now known only in the Campania region of Italy, it is possible to identify sections showing windows with shutters through which scenes of a rural landscape emerge as well as pilasters (a column-like architectural building component adjacent to the wall) decorated with a combination of stucco (stucco) and paint. "The dating of the wall paintings indicates that the theater was built close to the visit of the Roman general and vice-emperor Marcus Agrippa to the Herodion in 15 BC" explains Prof. Netzer. The theater, the two rooms on both sides of it and the chamber of the Ahamim, were deliberately destroyed during the construction of the cone - the artificial mountain that surrounded the round building that stood on top of the hill.
A perspective for the future
According to Prof. Netzer, the excavation of the entire site will take many more years. In addition to the mausoleum, the magnificent palace included a kind of "country club" with a huge pool, ornamental gardens, baths and a theater. The palace was the largest of its kind in the Roman world at the time of Herod and it can be assumed that every year hundreds or thousands of guests came to it.
Prof. Netzer hopes that the newly discovered site will also become a national park in the future and that many visitors will continue to visit it. Shaul Goldstein, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council today welcomed the discovery and promised to continue to preserve it: "The Gush Etzion Regional Council sees the Herodion National Park as an important Jewish historical site that needs a lot of investment to preserve it. In recent years, the council under my leadership has worked hard to preserve and develop the site through an investment of millions of shekels, part of which was dedicated to the excavation expedition led by Prof. Netzer and part of which was dedicated to the development of the complex and its enrichment with illustrations and sound-light performances. At the same time, the regional council invests large sums every year in advertising and public relations of the site, an investment that joins the efforts of the Nature and Parks Authority".
The excavation team included Jacob Kalman, Roi Porat and Rachel Chachi-Loris. The reconstruction of the burial coffins was done by Orna Cohen and the Israel Museum's laboratory team assisted in uncovering the wall paintings.
The excavations were conducted on behalf of the Institute of Archeology of the Hebrew University with the assistance of the Society for the Investigation of Eretz Israel and its Antiquities as well as with the assistance of donations from individuals, Yad Handiv, and the National Geographic Research Fund. The Gush Etzion Regional Council and the Nature and Parks Authority cooperated with the excavation expedition. The findings of the excavations will be exhibited at the Israel Museum in 2010.
The story of the excavations at the Herodion site will be published in the December issue of National Geographic magazine in 32 languages. The premiere of a documentary about the excavations "The Lost Tomb of Herod" will be broadcast in the USA on Sunday, November 23, on the American National Geographic channel and then also in 166 other countries.
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One response
These are fascinating discoveries and an interesting article. I enjoyed reading.