News Release
___________________________________________________
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Tomb of King Herod discovered at Herodium
by Hebrew University archaeologist

Jerusalem, May 8, 2007 -- The long search for Herod the Great's tomb has
ended with the exposure of the remains of his grave, sarcophagus and
mausoleum on Mount Herodium's northeastern slope, Prof. Ehud Netzer of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Institute of Archaeology announced today.

Herod was the Roman-appointed king of Judea from 37 to 4 BCE, who was
renowned for his many monumental building projects, including the
reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the palace at Masada, as well as
the complex at Herodium, 15 kilometers south of Jerusalem. .

Herodium is the most outstanding among King Herod's building projects. This
is the only site that carries his name and the site where he chose to be
buried and to memorialize himself -- all of this with the integration of a
huge, unique palace at the fringe of the desert, said Prof. Netzer.
Therefore, he said, the exposure of his tomb becomes the climax of this site's
research.

The approach to the burial site - which has been described by the
archaeologists involved as one of the most striking finds in Israel in
recent years - was via a monumental flight of stairs (6.5 meters wide)
leading to the hillside that were especially constructed for the funeral
procession.

The excavations on the slope of the mountain, at whose top is the famed
structure comprised of a palace, a fortress and a monument, commenced in
August 2006. The expedition, on behalf of the Institute of Archaeology of
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was conducted by Prof. Netzer, together
with Yaakov Kalman and Roi Porath and with the participation of local
Bedouins.

The location and unique nature of the findings, as well as the historical
record, leave no doubt that this was Herod's burial site, said Prof. Netzer.

The mausoleum itself was almost totally dismantled in ancient times. In its
place remained only part of its well built podium, or base, built of large
white ashlars (dressed stone) in a manner and size not previously revealed
at Herodium.

Among the many high quality architectural elements, mostly well decorated,
which were spread among the ruins, is a group of decorated urns (made in the
form of special jars that were used to store body ashes). Similar ones are
to be found on the top of burial monuments in the Nabatean world. The urns
had a triangular cover and were decorated on the sides.

Spread among the ruins are pieces of a large, unique sarcophagus (close to
2.5 meters long), made of a Jerusalemite reddish limestone, which was
decorated by rosettes. The sarcophagus had a triangular cover, which was
decorated on its sides. This is assumed with certainty to be the sarcophagus
of Herod. Only very few similar sarcophagi are known in the country and can
be found only in elaborate tombs such as the famous one at the King's Tomb
on Selah a-Din Street in East Jerusalem. Although no inscriptions have been
found yet at Herodium, neither on the sarcophagus nor in the building
remains, these still might be found during the continuation of the dig.

Worthy of note is the fact that the sarcophagus was broken into hundreds of
pieces, no doubt deliberately. This activity, including the destruction of
the monument, apparently took place in the years 66-72 C.E. during the first
Jewish revolt against the Romans, while Jewish rebels took hold of the site,
according to Josephus and the archaeological evidence. The rebels were known
for their hatred of Herod and all that he stood for, as a "puppet ruler" for
the Romans.

The search for Herod's tomb, which actively began 30 years ago, focused
until the middle of 2006 at Lower Herodium, in an area which was, no doubt,
especially built for the funeral and burial of the king - the "Tomb Estate."
In order to reveal there the remains from Herod's days, the expedition was
"forced" to first expose a large complex of Byzantine structures (including
a church), an effort that demanded many years of digging.

The Tomb Estate included two monumental buildings and a large ritual bath
(mikveh) as well as the large route (350 meters long and 30 meters wide)
which was prepared for the funeral. When no sign of the burial place itself
was found within the Tomb Estate, the expedition started to search for it on
the slope of the hill, although there seems to be no doubt that the initial
intention of the king was to be buried in the estate and that only in a
later stage of his life - apparently when he grew old - did he change his
mind and asked to be buried within the artificial cone which gave the hill
of Herodium its current volcano-shape.

The main historical source of the Second Temple's days, the historian
Josephus Flavius, has described the site of Herodium in detail, as well as
the funeral in the year 4 BCE, but not the tomb proper. He wrote as follows:

"The king's funeral next occupied his attention. Archelaus, omitting nothing
that could contribute to its magnificence, brought forth all the royal
ornaments to accompany the procession in honor of the deceased. The bier was
of solid gold, studded with precious stones, and had a covering of purple,
embroidered with various colors; on this lay the body enveloped in purple
robe, a diadem encircling the head and surmounted by a crown of gold, the
scepter beside his right hand.

Around the bier were Herod's sons and a large group of his relations; these
were followed by the guards, the Thracian contingent, Germans and Gauls, all
equipped as for war. The reminder of the troops marched in front, armed and
in orderly array, led by their commanders and subordinate officers; behind
these came five hundred of Herod's servants and freedmen, carrying spices.
The body was thus conveyed for a distance of two hundred furlongs to
Herodium, where, in accordance with the directions of the deceased, it was
interred. So ended Herod's reign."

Jewish Wars, 1,23,9

Prof. Netzer started his archaeological activity at Herodium in 1972, at
first on a small scale. The scope of his work widened with the decision to
turn Herodium (the mount together with Lower Herodium) into a national park,
which was due to occupy 125 acres. (Until that stage only the mount was
proclaimed as a national park and was operated by the Nature and Parks
Authority.)

The enlargement of the park started in 1980; unfortunately the activity at
the site stopped as a result of the first Intifada, but not before the
complex of tunnels from the days of Bar-Kokhba, within the mount, were
opened to the public. The archaeological excavations at the site, which also
stopped in 1987, were renewed 10 years later and continued until 2000, and
after a second break, were renewed at the end of 2005.

Prof. Netzer gained his first "intimate" acknowledgement of Herodian
architecture while joining Prof. Yigael Yadin (in 1963-66), in his
expedition at Masada. Netzer's Ph.D. dissertation in archaeology, guided by
Prof. Yadin, brought him to initiate excavations both at Lower Herodium and
at Jericho - at the complex of Hasmonean and Herodian Winter Palaces. (The
site at Jericho, following Netzer's excavations, includes three palaces of
Herod and a hitherto unknown large complex of Hasmonean winter palaces).
Additional Herodian structures in other parts of the country were also
uncovered by him. He has written various books and articles on the topic of
Herodian architecture.

Yaakov Kalman, archaeologist and farmer, participated in many excavations
throughout the country and took an active part in Netzer's excavations at
Masada, Jericho and Herodium. Roi Porath took an active part in the survey
of the Judean Desert caves and has many significant finds in his record.

The current excavations benefited from donations of private individuals, and
the assistance of the Israel Exploration Society and the Israel Nature and
Parks Authority.

Photos of Herodium available via e-mail upon request.

For further information:
Jerry Barach, Dept. of Media Relations, the Hebrew University
or Orit Sulitzeanu, Hebrew University spokesperson
Internet site: http://media.huji.ac.il