A burial cave in southern Israel, long revered by Christian pilgrims as the tomb of Jesus’s midwife Salome, may in fact be the final resting place of a member of the Herodian royal family, possibly King Herod’s sister, according to new findings released by Israeli archaeologists.
The cave, located near the ancient site of Lachish, has been the focus of religious veneration since at least the Byzantine period. Known as the “Cave of Salome,” it was previously identified with a midwife named Salome, mentioned in apocryphal Christian texts as present at the birth of Jesus. However, a new architectural and archaeological analysis challenges that interpretation.
According to a study conducted by archaeologists Vladik Lifshits and Nir-Shimshon Paran and published by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the cave’s design and scale suggest it was originally constructed as a monumental tomb for a woman of high status during the first century BCE or CE. The researchers point to features such as an elaborate forecourt, finely carved burial niches, and proximity to what was once a lavish Roman-style villa as evidence of elite use.
“The structure reflects wealth, power, and access to sophisticated craftsmanship,” Lifshits stated. “It is consistent with funerary architecture known from the Herodian period.”
The researchers propose that the tomb could have belonged to Salome, the sister of King Herod the Great, who died around 10 CE. This Salome is distinct from the Salome who appears in New Testament accounts and from the midwife named Salome in early Christian writings.
The cave, first excavated in 1984, contained numerous oil lamps, pottery, and inscriptions indicating its use as a Christian pilgrimage site during the 8th and 9th centuries. Pilgrims during that era believed the site to be associated with a holy midwife and left votive offerings accordingly.
Boaz Zissu, a professor of archaeology at Bar-Ilan University not involved in the study, supports the reinterpretation. “The authors correctly identify the original phase as a monumental tomb belonging to local elites of the Herodian period,” he said, while emphasizing that more evidence is needed to make a definitive identification.
Despite the new theory, the site continues to be visited by pilgrims and tourists. The Israel Antiquities Authority says no formal changes to the site’s religious status are planned at this time.
