Deir ed Darb
דיר א-דרב (in Hebrew) | |
 The facade of the monumental Jewish tomb | |
  Shown within the West Bank | |
| Location | State of Palestine |
|---|---|
| Region | Samaria |
| Coordinates | 32°12′44″N 35°10′59″E / 32.21222°N 35.18306°E |
| Grid position | Israel Ref. 210166/670117 |
| Type | Rock-cut tomb |
| Part of | Hasmonean kingdom, Herodian kingdom, province of Judaea |
| Area | 2 ha (4.9 acres) |
| Height | 380 m |
| History | |
| Periods | Second Temple period |
| Cultures | Second Temple Judaism |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Ownership | Public |
| Public access | Yes |
Deir ed Derb ("The monastery of the road"[1]) is a monumental Jewish tomb with an elaborate façade dated to the 1st century CE.[2][3] The site is located in the West Bank about 1/2-mile SE of the village center of Qarwat Bani Hassan. Its Arab name derives from the ancient road passing near it and refers to a monastery.[4][5][2][6]
History of research
The tomb was surveyed for the Palestine Exploration Fund in 1873 and the main tomb was described as "one of the finest sepulchral monuments in the country, resembling in character some of the tombs near Jerusalem".[7] In further years to come surveys and rescue excavations were done (Yeivin - 1972, Dar - late 70's, Raviv -2013) at and next to the main tomb.[4][8][6]
Description
The tomb contains three rock-cut chambers with a courtyard in front. The entrance to the tomb has a portico measuring 5.5 metres (18 ft) wide and 3.0 metres (10 ft) tall. There is a 15-metre (50 ft) long Doric cornice in front supported by two Ionic columns and two pilasters. The carved decoration included 15 triglyphs and 14 rosettes – all the rosettes had different designs.[9][3]
The main tomb
The tomb has a large (about 10x15 m) rock-cut front yard.[4] On the side of the yard, to the right (west) of the front of the tomb, a monumental staircase was carved leading into the courtyard.[4] The front of the tomb is decorated in a combined style: two Greek style columns between two arts (antis in distylos). The right (western) column does not exist today and was probably stolen in ancient times.[4] The central part of the frieze did not survive. In carved tufts Roses (rosettes) of different types. Above the frieze, a cornice consisting of dentils was designed. Below the part from the triglyphs there are drops (gutae).[4][2]
The entrance to the burial chambers is carved into the southern wall of the entrance room.[4] The opening was closed with a circular burial stone moving inside a trestle rail. A niche was cut above the opening, which damaged a decoration with chiseled edges that was located on the entrance room walls, it seems to have been carved at a later period.[4] A parallel to this kind of niche is found in the central tomb in the necropolis of Khirbet Kurkush, in Dar's opinion, this alcove symbolizes the change of ownership from Jewish to foreign.[10]
The opening leads to a central rectangular burial chamber.[4] A standing pit was carved in the center of the room. Three niches were carved into the wall in front of the opening.[4][11] On both walls on the sides (the eastern and the western) openings were carved leading to two additional burial chambers were carved with arches.[11][2] A standing pit was cut in the western (right) burial chamber, and a pit was installed. In the southern wall a burial vault was carved and beneath it a wide and shallow trough (about 0.2 m deep). It seems that this room was not completed. The eastern (left) room was neatly carved. A small, relatively narrow standing pit was carved in its center, in each of its four corners pilasters were carved simulating small and stylish columns.[4] Three vaults were installed on the walls of the room - one on each wall. At the bottom of them are troughs wide and shallow burials (about 0.2 m deep). The researchers who discussed this grave did not refer to the decorations that were designed on the outer walls of the burial troughs. In the outer septum of each of the three burial pits are distinguished by the design of a requiem bed with legs (kline). This decoration has parallels in the Greco-Roman burial world as well as in Jewish burial tradition.[4][2]
Analysis
An archeological analysis led Dar to conclude that there was a flourishing Jewish settlement near the site during the late Second Temple period and even up to the Great revolt and the Bar Kokhba revolt. After the latter, the area was settled by Samaritans.[4][8]
There is a consensus among all archeologists and researches who have been to the site of Deir ed Derb, that it resembles the Tombs of the Kings in Jerusalem and similar sites in Samaria.[11][4][5] The structure bears a strong resemblance to some tombs by Jerusalem, which have been dated to 1st century CE. Magen has linked Deir ed-Derb and other similar tombs in Samaria (including Khirbet Kurkush and Mokata 'Abud) to the departure of Jewish craftsmen from Jerusalem to Samaria before the siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE.[4] Peleg-Barkat, on the other hand, suggested that these tombs were constructed by local Jewish elites who were inspired by the elaborate graves of the Jewish elite in Jerusalem of the late Second Temple period. In the close vicinity of the tomb, about 20 other rock-cut burial caves were found.[2][4]
References
- ^ Palmer, E. H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine. Arabic and English Name Lists Collected During the Survey by Lieutenants Conder and Kitchener, R.E. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. p. 228.
- ^ a b c d e f Peleg-Barkat, Orit; Raviv (2019). "שלושה פריטים ארכיטקטוניים מן התקופה הרומית הקדומה מאזור הכפר קרוות בני חסן". במעבה ההר (in Hebrew). 9: 43–58.
- ^ a b מגן, יצחק; Magen, Y. (2002). "Tombs Decorated in Jerusalem Style in Samaria and the Hebron Hills / קברים מעוטרים בסגנון ירושלמי בשומרון ובהר חברון". Qadmoniot: A Journal for the Antiquities of Eretz-Israel and Bible Lands / קדמוניות: כתב-עת לעתיקות ארץ-ישראל וארצות המקרא. לה (1 (123)): 28–37. ISSN 0033-4839.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Raviv, Dvir. "Raviv D., 2013, "Magnificent Tombs from the Second Temple Period in Western Samaria - New Insights", In the Highland's Depth - Ephraim Range and Binyamin Research Studies, Vol. 3, Ariel-Talmon ,pp. 109-142. (Hebrew)". Academia: 109–142.
- ^ a b "biu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay/alma990026013420205776/972BIU_INST:BIThe". biu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ a b "שמעון דר אחוזתו של תלמי, השר הבכיר של הורדוס". kotar.cet.ac.il. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ Conder, Claude Reignier; Kitchener, Horatio Herbert; Palmer, Edward Henry; Besant, Walter (1882). The survey of western Palestine : memoirs of the topography, orography, hydrography, and archaeology. Volume II: Samaria. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. pp. 313, 315.
- ^ a b "התפרוסת היישובית של מערב השומרון : בימי הבית השני, המשנה והתלמוד והתקופה הביזנטית ... / מאת שמעון דר | עבודת מחקר | NNL_ALEPH990018747450205171 | הספרייה הלאומית". www.nli.org.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2024-06-13.
- ^ Conder, Claude Reignier; Kitchener, Horatio Herbert; Palmer, Edward Henry; Besant, Walter (1882). The survey of western Palestine : memoirs of the topography, orography, hydrography, and archaeology. Volume II: Samaria. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. pp. 313–314.
- ^ Raviv, Dvir (2013). "Magnificent Tombs from the Second Temple Period in Western Samaria - New Insights". In the Highland's Depth - Ephraim Range and Binyamin Research Studies (in Hebrew). 3: 118.
- ^ a b c Conder, C. R. (Claude Reignier); Kitchener, Horatio Herbert Kitchener; Palmer, Edward Henry; Besant, Walter (1881–1883). The survey of western Palestine : memoirs of the topography, orography, hydrography, and archaeology. Robarts - University of Toronto. London : Committee of the Palestine exploration fund.