BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Was the Cave of Salome for Jesus’s Disciple or a Herodian Princess?

Archaeologists propose monumental tomb was for Herod’s sister

Constructed in the late Second Temple period (first century BCE–first century CE), the Cave of Salome is a massive burial estate among the sprawling hills of the Shephelah in central Israel. By the Byzantine period, the complex had become a significant Christian pilgrimage site dedicated to a female saint named Salome. But while Byzantine Christians may have thought this Salome was one of Jesus’s disciples, a pair of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have a different theory. Publishing in the journal ‘Atiqot, they suggest the burial estate belonged to another well-known figure, Salome I, the sister and advisor of Herod the Great.

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Buying a Princess of Judah

Located not far from the ancient city of Maresha, the Cave of Salome is one of the largest Second Temple tombs ever excavated in Israel. When it was constructed, the burial estate consisted of a large square courtyard half dug into the rocky hillside, an entrance hall, and a burial cave. The manmade cave consisted of several burial chambers and rock-cut loculi. As Nir-Shimshon Paran, co-director of the excavation and co-author of the study, told Bible History Daily, “The Cave of Salome is one of the biggest and most elaborate burial estates that has been excavated in Israel. The only one that is bigger is the Tomb of the Kings in Jerusalem. But while almost all other estates of similar size are in Jerusalem, this one is much farther away.”

By the beginning of the sixth century, the site had been converted into a Christian chapel dedicated to St. Salome and remained a pilgrimage destination for nearly four centuries. Salome is mentioned briefly in Mark (15:40-41; 16:1) and is considered by various Christian traditions to have been either one of Jesus’s lesser-known disciples (one of the three Marys who visited Jesus’s tomb) or perhaps a midwife who attended Jesus’s birth.

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Although the cave was first excavated in the 1990s, Paran and his co-director, Vladik Lifshits, returned to the site in 2022 as part of the IAA’s Kings of Judah Road project. Their main aim was to uncover the tomb’s courtyard and entrance hall, but they also had a question: Who was buried in the Cave of Salome? Based on inscriptions discovered in the ’90s, the team knew that the Byzantine Christians certainly thought the burial estate’s owner was named Salome, but it seemed unlikely that one of the largest tombs in the country would have been constructed for a relatively obscure follower of Jesus. So, the team went back to the drawing board to examine every line of evidence available.

Of course, it was not as simple as finding a plaque stating the name of the tomb’s owner. After all, Byzantine monks had renovated much of the burial estate when they converted it into a chapel. But there were some possible clues. Most evident was the burial complex’s massive size and impressive craftsmanship. This meant the owner must have been a wealthy member of Judean society, possibly even royalty.

The next piece of evidence was the site’s proximity to Maresha, the one-time capital of the independent Idumean kingdom, which the Hasmonean leader, John Hyrcanus, had conquered. Following this conquest, the people of Idumea were forced to convert to Judaism, although it was the Idumaean governor, Antipater, who was later named the first procurator of Judea by Julius Caesar. Antipater’s son, Herod the Great, would eventually rise to the position of king. The final piece of evidence was the Byzantine tradition that identified the site as belonging to a woman named Salome.

Utilizing the evidence, the archaeologists proposed a new identification for the tomb’s owner: Salome I (c. 65 BCE–10 CE), the sister and advisor of Herod the Great. Given her great wealth and position, it would not be surprising for her to have constructed a monumental tomb, not dissimilar to her brother’s massive burial complex at Herodium. Additionally, her Idumaean heritage would explain the tomb’s proximity to Maresha rather than Jerusalem. Furthermore, she is known for having owned a large amount of property throughout Judea.

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A Monumental Tomb

Many details set the Cave of Salome apart. While the use of the cave as a later Christian chapel altered much of its original layout, it is clear that it was a particularly large structure, featuring a 13-by-16-foot entryhall and several smaller chambers, three of which were intended for burials. However, what sets the burial apart is its monumental courtyard, which measures roughly 2,500 square feet, making it the second largest ever excavated in Israel. Around the courtyard were several built rooms and numerous ornate decorative carvings that had been integrated into the architecture. Leading from the courtyard to the cave was a large vaulted vestibule that spanned the width of the courtyard.

One of the more fascinating features of the complex is the large circular blocking stone, situated within a track between the front wall of the cave and the back wall of the vestibule.  The stone was placed to allow it to move freely, enabling the doorway into the tomb to close and open. At one end of the vestibule, a hidden chamber led down behind the stone, allowing the use of a locking mechanism to secure the stone in place.

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Related reading in Bible History Daily

New Excavations of the Cave of Salome

Saint Salome’s Resting Place?

All-Access members, read more in the BAS Library

The Cave of Salome—Tomb of Jesus’s Disciple?

The Salome No One Knows

Machaerus: Where Salome Danced and John the Baptist Was Beheaded