The Akeldama Tombs, Three burial caves in the Kidron Valley; Jerusalem., Three burial caves in the Kidron Valley; Jerusalem.

Author

Avni; G. ; Greenhut; Z.

Year

1996

Publisher

Israel Antiquities Authority / ____ _______

Language

English

Pages

Link

Last Update

29-Jul-2026

Keywords

Archaeology

Description

The confluence of the Kidron and Hinnom Valleys, south of the Old City of Jerusalem, contains one of Jerusalem’s richest concentrations of rock-hewn tombs. This area, located on the periphery of the village of Silwan (Fig. 1.1), was one of the main burial grounds of Jerusalem in the First Temple period (Ussishkin 1993). Numerous tombs were hewn in the lower Kidron Valley basin in the Second Temple period (Kloner 1980:60–66; Fig. 1.2). Several of these were reused much later, either for burial or as shelters for hermits and monks of the large monastic communities which inhabited the Kidron Valley...