ARCHAEOLOGY/HERODIUM-EXCAVATION Herodium walkway reveals more of Jewish Roman king's grand designs

Record ID: 159225

  • Title: ARCHAEOLOGY/HERODIUM-EXCAVATION Herodium walkway reveals more of Jewish Roman king's grand designs
  • Date: 16th April 2015
  • Summary: HERODIUM, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) REMNANTS OF KING HEROD'S PALACE-FORT ON TOP OF HERODIUM MOUNTAIN
  • Embargoed: 1st May 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA87PV95SDE487626VY08S7A3WY
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Israeli archaeologists have recently uncovered a grand arched walkway built by Herod the Great at his palace of Herodium that sheds more light on the formidable building projects of the Jewish Roman king.
    After the palace-fort was completed, Herod appears to have changed his mind and he ordered the entire mound, including the walkway, to be buried under rubble and it remained hidden until the debris was removed during the past year.
    Herodium, an imposing hill that dominates the mostly arid landscape in the Israeli-occupied West Bank between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, was made to look flat-topped by Herod's building and is the only project known to bear his own name.
    Archaeologists believe he intended the steep pathway that ascends into the palace ultimately to be used for his own burial procession but because he later ordered the entire hill to be covered over, they now think he wanted the whole palace to be his mausoleum.
    "The greatest excitement we experienced here was the discovery that this magnificent walkway, which is a huge, beautiful, exceptional structure, was totally covered (in sand) by the same person who decided to build it. Covering it was of course part of (King) Herod's big decision to seal the palace and turn everything into a mausoleum," said dig leader Roi Porat.
    "The most significant story here is really the dramatic decision (of King Herod) to cover such a thing. We had no idea. We were certain that the corridor was active in Herod's days, we had no idea we were about to discover that it was sealed. Its sealing is a whole new story, a layer of history. Usually, archaeologists prove what we know from history books, here it's the opposite - Josephus tells us the background, doesn't go into details, he describes Herodium but without phases or even a mention of the exact location of the tomb - we really discover and write the history by means of the discoveries, and this is the great excitement," he added.
    The walkway, hewn into the limestone hill that was partly covered by stone arches, was adorned by frescoes that have partially survived because they were protected from the elements by the rubble for over 2,000 years.
    The lower part of the pathway is flanked by Herod' actual burial site, discovered a few years ago, and an theatre structure.
    "It's very impressing and very unique project because just imagine hauling all these tons and tons of quarry deposit and covering the mountain and then creating a way up to the palace. And it's all connected with the burial monument and with memory, it's just glorifying his memory," said archaeologist Yaakov Kalman, adding that Herod did not care so much for utilitarian reasons but rather for making an impression.
    Porat said that in light of the dig's finds, it wasn't clear what led into the palace-fort after it was covered over.
    Porat said he expected the new discovery to be opened to the public in about a year's time.
    During his reign between 37-4 BC, Herod rebuilt the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and initiated other grand projects, including a winter palace at Masada that overlooks the Dead Sea, another in Jericho, and the Mediterranean port of Caesarea.
    According to the Christian story, Herod ordered his men to kill all baby boys in and around Jesus's birthplace Bethlehem, fearing one would grow up to become "King of the Jews" and challenge his rule.
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