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The Herodium Expedition

A new approach in 2006 brought Netzer and his team to investigate the monumental stairway (just left of center of the photo above) that led up the northeastern slope of the mountain to the palace/fortress. While excavating on the east side of the stairs (at left in photo), they began to find reddish limestone fragments of a sarcophagus and ultimately revealed the remains of a mausoleum—Herod’s tomb had been found. Continuing excavations have since uncovered a small theater on the other side of the stairway that was probably built for a special diplomatic visit from a high Roman official.