Tuesday, September 22, 2015

The search for the tomb of the Maccabees

ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY PRESS RELEASE: Is the Large Mausoleum Recently Uncovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority and Residents of the Modi‘in Region Really the Tomb of the Maccabees? The Israel Antiquities Authority is calling on the public to donate, volunteer and be part of the journey in discovering one of the most fascinating stories in Israeli archaeology. The short answer to the question is "Maybe."
According to Amit Re’em and Dan Shahar, excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “There is no doubt that the structure that was uncovered is unusual. The descriptions from 150 years ago were revealed right here in front of our eyes, and we discovered the magnificent burial vaults, enormous pillars that apparently supported a second story, a forecourt that led to the tomb and other associated buildings. To our disappointment, the building seen by our predecessors had been robbed, and its stones were taken to construct settlements in the vicinity; nevertheless, the appearance of the place is impressive and stimulates the imagination. The archaeological evidence currently at hand is still insufficient to establish that this is the burial place of the Maccabees. If what we uncovered is not the Tomb of the Maccabees itself, then there is a high probability that this is the site that early Christianity identified as the royal funerary enclosure, and therefore, perhaps, erected the structure. Evidently one cannot rule out the assumptions of the past, but an excavation and a lot of hard work are still required in order to confirm that assumption unequivocally, and the riddle remains unsolved–the search for the elusive Tomb of the Maccabees continues".
Pending additional funding. A very interesting project.

Background here and links.