First Person: What Should We Do with $25,000?
As published in the May/June 2015 Biblical Archaeology Review
Hershel Shanks
April 20, 2015
21 Comments
8257 views
We have $25,000 available for an archaeological project!
Yes, it’s true, and we’re inviting proposals.
Here’s how it happened: Herod the Great lives on.
It all happened as a result of the search for Herod’s tomb. We know he was buried at Herodium. Josephus tells us so, in a detailed dramatic description of his funeral.1 But the question is, where at Herodium? This is what Josephus does not tell us.
After a 35-year search, the great Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer found the tomb in a small mausoleum on the side of the mountain that is Herodium. Then Netzer fell to his death when a wooden railing at the site gave way. An exhibit featuring the site and Herod’s mausoleum drew thousands at the Israel Museum.a
The Herodium Expedition
Built by King Herod the Great, Herodium is a palace-fortress in the Judean Desert near Jerusalem that dates to the first century B.C.E. After 35 years of excavation, Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer—tragically killed in a fall at the site—believed he located Herod’s mausoleum on the side of the site. Doubts surround Netzer’s theory, so the search for Herod’s tomb goes on.
But then doubts surfaced. Or rather doubts that already had been there surfaced more audibly. BAR wrote about them.b Was this really Herod’s tomb? The primary alternative location for it was a suspicious solid tower at the site. Was Herod buried somewhere in this apparently solid tower? Was it really solid? Deep down was there a mausoleum in it for Herod’s tomb?
After we published an article about this, we received a letter from a leading Israeli tourist guide and adjunct professor at Hebrew University named Danny Herman. Danny had excavated with Netzer and his long-time staff at Herodium, which now led the expedition. The triumvirate, which later proved critical, comprised doctoral student Roi Porat and two colleagues (Yakov Kalman, an M.A. student who describes himself as a farmer/archaeologist, and architect Rachel Chachy-Laureys).
In his letter to the editor, Danny told of guiding “an influential individual, who at the end of the tour expressed his consent to sponsor new research and a possible dig into the base of the eastern tower” that might settle the question of the location of Herod’s tomb. Danny worked with Porat and Kalman to estimate the cost of such a project: Their estimate was $100,000. Then, “unfortunately,” Danny wrote, “the potential sponsor retreated from his offer.”
I was reluctant to print this letter. I know Danny personally, so I wrote him of my hesitation: “Dear Danny: A hundred thousand dollars is a terrible, artificial, round, made-up, unrealistic figure. It scares people off. It is a number pulled out of a hat. It says there is no thought behind it. Other than that,” I added to soften things a little jocularly, “it is OK.”
Danny replied that it was not a figure pulled out of a hat but was the result of a careful four-stage research proposal prepared by Porat and Kalman. The total was $103,000, which Danny rounded to $100,000.
With this, I decided to publish Danny’s letter in the September/October 2014 issue of BAR.c
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Todd Bolen/bibleplaces.com
The enigmatic eastern tower that may enclose Herod’s tomb.
Wayne Shepard is a long-time BAR subscriber from Florida who has attended a number of our programs. And he is a man of action: When he read Danny Herman’s letter to the editor, he promptly sat down and wrote a check for $20,000 for the project. I was obviously delighted. I replied that we would not take any administrative fee for handling the project and, in addition, we would add $5,000 to the pot, making $25,000 available to study the question of whether Herod’s tomb was in the large solid tower at Herodium.
True, the amount available was far less than the $103,000 needed for the overall project and even considerably less than the $37,000 which Porat and Kalman had estimated for Part 1 of the project, which included a laser survey of the tower, a geophysical survey including radar penetration, deep drilling into the core of the tower and exposure of the base of the tower to locate a possible entrance to the tomb.
Painfully aware that our $25,000 was far less even than the estimated cost of Part 1 of the research plan, I wanted “to assure that the money is wisely spent, that we get the biggest bang for the buck … I want to squeeze as much information as possible from $25,000.”
Danny, who would be honchoing the project from our end, responded that his participation would be on an entirely voluntary basis, without remuneration. My instructions to Danny were to “make sure that every penny’s expenditure is justified and justifiable. Make sure we get a service at the best possible price for the finest quality … All we have at this point is $25,000.”
Danny wrote me that the three codirectors of the project—Porat, Kalman and Chachy-Laureys—had approved the research “and are excited about it as well.”
The excitement was contagious. Danny wrote me that Porat was already getting a quote for the cost of drilling and filming with a mini camera.
Then the sky fell. Danny reported on a meeting he had with the three codirectors in which Porat did all the talking. As Danny described the meeting: “It was pretty insulting.” Porat would not permit the money to come through BAS; he wanted another conduit such as the Israel Exploration Society, which would allow the money to be withdrawn on request without any substantive review. As Danny reported Porat’s words, “They want full autonomy on the use of the budget.”
Porat estimated the actual cost of the work to be only $7,000–10,000. The rest of the fund would be for data processing and publication (and, presumably, staff salaries).
Moreover, Porat did not want to work with BAS. He was afraid of our “demands.” Moreover, he feared that we would “sensationalize” any discoveries.
Danny waited two days before he reported further: “I wanted to be more rational and less emotional. Yet 48 hours did not help. I am still somewhat in the same mood as Hershel—insulted. I initiated the project. I did not ask for a penny. I did not ask for any share in the publication. Nor did Hershel. I expected a red carpet for raising this sum. [Porat’s] response was an insult to all my efforts (including getting there [to the meeting] on crutches).”
So BAR is left with $25,000. What should we do with it? Do you know of a worthwhile project—a study, a test, an excavation, a renovation, a restoration, a plan, etc.? We would be pleased to hear from our readers or governmental authorities or archaeologists or others regarding what we should do with $25,000.
In commemoration of the scholarship of Ehud Netzer, the Biblical Archaeology Society has made a special collection of his groundbreaking articles from the BAS Library available for free. Click here to read Netzer’s articles >>
Notes
a. Ehud Netzer, “In Search of Herod’s Tomb,” BAR, January/February 2011; Milestones, “Ehud Netzer,” BAR, January/February 2011; Suzanne F. Singer, “Herod the Great—The King’s Final Journey,” BAR, March/April 2013. See Hershel Shanks, ed., Herod’s Palace-Fortresses, Digging Deeper Series (Washington, DC: Biblical Archaeology Society, 2015).
b. Hershel Shanks, “Was Herod’s Tomb Really Found?” BAR, May/June 2014.
c. Queries and Comments, “Fund-raising for Finding Herod’s Tomb,” BAR, September/October 2014.
1. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 17.197–199.
Related reading in Bible History Daily:
Herod the Great—The King’s Final Journey
Herodium: The Tomb of King Herod Revisited
Monumental Entryway to King Herod’s Palace at Herodium Excavated
Herod’s Death, Jesus’ Birth and a Lunar Eclipse
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How about doing something in the ancient roman city of Herculaneum which was destroyed at the same time as Pompeii?
May I suggest the restoration of the ancient Synagogue at Anim adjacent to the village of Biblical Shani / Livna and part of it’s surrounding cave dwellings with their ancient agricultural equipment. (Oil, wine and wheat presses.)
Ben Dor Avinoam
A suggestion: How about looking at the Tombs of the Kings on the lower, Southeast side of Silwan? Digging and excavating is probably out of the question, but maybe a thorough and professional study of the remains of the rock-hew tombs that are still there, possibly some examination with modern ground-penetration testing equipment, etc? It is one of my favorite places to just “hang out” in Jerusalem, and to wonder if David’s tomb is somewhere about. As you know, Scripture says he was buried “in the City of David”, but the last mention of his tomb is in the writings of Josephus if I am not mistaken. Strange that such a revered spot is never mentioned again historically.
I would suggest giving the money back to those who gave it first of all since it is not being used for the intended purpose. However if they choose to have the funds repurposed, then I would suggest giving it to the Associates for Biblical Research. The dig at Khirbet el-Maqatir is outstanding where many biblical discoveries are confirming the text of Joshua chapters 7, 8. It is the largest dig in operation in Israel as well as Khirbet el Maqatir has also produced the number one discovery in 2013 according to Charisma magazine. The staff is outstanding and in the top of their fields. The funds would allow further research and assure funding for future seasons at the site.
I would suggest giving the money to an excavation in Jordan – Tall el-Hammam. Tall el-Hammam has been ongoing for the past ten years and is completely funded by donations. I have participate on this excavation for the past two years and I know that at the end of the season they have struggle a bit to make ends meet. This past season they had unexpected fees rise way more than they had expected with caused their funds to go not as far as they had planned. I think they would be very grateful with the money and would put it to great use.
Study the ancient Hebrew found in Las Lunas New Mexico, USA, with petroglyphs depicting a solar eclipse that happened September 15, 107 BC ? http://tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/125339/the-mystery-stone
Burial Places of the Kings or of David. On Pentecost, Peter stated: “David . . . both deceased and was buried and his tomb is among us to this day.” (Ac 2:29) This indicates that the burial place of King David was still in existence as of the year 33 C.E.
First Kings 2:10 tells us that David was buried in “the City of David,” and apparently this became the customary burial place of later kings of Judah. Twelve of the 20 kings following David are directly mentioned as being buried in the City of David, though not all of these were placed in “the burial places of the kings”—Jehoram, Joash (Jehoash), and Ahaz being specifically mentioned as not buried there. (2Ch 21:16, 20; 24:24, 25; 28:27) Instead of being one common tomb of many chambers, “the burial places of the kings” may have constituted a particular area within the City of David where the memorial tombs of the kings were located. King Asa was buried in a “grand burial place that he had excavated for himself in the City of David” (2Ch 16:14), and Hezekiah is spoken of as being buried “in the ascent to the burial places of the sons of David.” (2Ch 32:33) Leprous King Uzziah was buried “with his forefathers, but in the burial field that belonged to the kings, for they said: ‘He is a leper.’” This would seem to indicate the placement of his diseased body in the ground rather than in a tomb hewed out of rock.—2Ch 26:23.
Of the other kings of Judah, Manasseh and Amon were evidently buried in a different location, in “the garden of Uzza.” (2Ki 21:18, 23, 26) The statement that Amon’s son, faithful King Josiah, was buried in “the graveyard of his forefathers” may refer either to the royal tombs in the City of David or to the burial places of Manasseh and Amon. (2Ch 35:23, 24) Three kings died in exile: Jehoahaz (in Egypt), Jehoiachin and Zedekiah (in Babylon). (2Ki 23:34; 25:7, 27-30) Jehoiakim received “the burial of a he-ass,” “thrown out to the heat by day and to the frost by night” in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy.—Jer 22:18, 19; 36:30.
Righteous High Priest Jehoiada was accorded the honor of a burial in “the City of David along with the kings,” the only person not of the royal line mentioned as having received such distinction.—2Ch 24:15, 16.
The location of these royal burial places has not been determined. On the basis of the reference to “the Burial Places of David” at Nehemiah 3:16 and the mention of “the ascent to the burial places of the sons of David” at 2 Chronicles 32:33, some believe the likely location to have been on the SE hill of the city near the Kidron Valley. A number of what appear to be ancient rock-cut tombs have been found in this area, their entrances being in the form of sunken rectangular shafts. However, no positive identification can be made; any effort at identification was complicated not only by the destruction of the city in the year 70 C.E. and again in 135 C.E. but also by the use of the southern part of the city by the Romans as a stone quarry. Hence, the above-mentioned tombs are in a greatly deteriorated state.
The mausoleum of Queen Helena of Adiabene, located in the N of the modern city of Jerusalem, has acquired the misleading name of the “Tombs of the Kings.” It was actually built in the first century C.E. and should not be confused with the royal burial grounds mentioned in the Bible account.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200271570
The City of David is in red.(Click to enlarge image) During the reigns of David and Solomon. See the City of David
Hi, Some say the Temple that was destroyed in AD 70 wasn’t were most people say it was today.
That south on a hill with a spring is the true place. The place called the temple site today was is what’s left of a Roman fort.
I’d recommend obtaining the necessary permissions to excavate the west side of the Pool of Siloam in the lower City of David (Jerusalem).
Do a feasibility study on the hydroplate theory proposed/written by Walt Brown in his book, “In The Beginning” (8th edition i believe). I have found the evidence of a global and catastrophic flood in this book simply amazing.