The Cave of Salome: A Second Temple Period Royal Burial Estate in the Judean Shephelah

This paper presents the results of previous and recent archaeological work conducted at the burial estate known as the Cave of Salome in the Judean Lowlands (Shephelah).Following the new excavation at the site, and findings at nearby sites, it is suggested that the grandeur burial estate-one of the most elaborate burial complexes of the Second Temple periodbelonged to a member of the royal family, whose name, "Salome," was preserved in the later, Christian use of the site in the Byzantine period.This article considers the geographic and historic background of the region, as well as the architectural features of the burial estate compared to other contemporary enclosures, offering a new possible identification of the burial estate's owner.