Religious Jews: Save the Bones of Your Ancestors

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Powerful segments of the religious community in Israel, supported by some Orthodox Jews in the United States, have long objected to the excavation of ancient Jewish tombs, claiming that it is forbidden by Jewish law (halakhah). But, as we have previously shown in these pages, halakhah requires only that the excavated bones be reburied with dignity and respect; and when desecration of graves is threatened, religious law requires excavation and appropriate reburial. The religious objection to excavating tombs is based more on politics than religious law.^a

Now, if the objectors are really concerned about the bones of their ancestors, they will implore archaeologists to excavate certain graves so that the bones can be reburied with dignity and respect. If this doesn’t happen, the skulls in these graves will be smashed by tomb robbers in search of loot, and the rest of the bones will be tossed out.

Metal detectors have recently revealed that among the nearly 1,200 graves at Qumran, adjacent to the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, are a number of burials in lead coffins.

In the last six months or so, looters, too, have discovered this and have attacked the Qumran cemetery. On a recent visit, we found at least three looted tombs. We even found pieces of lead from a coffin that had been removed from a tomb. If the past is any guide, the looters probably smashed the skulls looking for coins. (In ancient times, it was customary to place coins on the eyelids of the deceased; when the flesh decayed, the coins would fall into the skull.) We can be sure that when the looters examined the contents of the coffins, they simply threw out the bones because they have no monetary value.

The looters may well be caught if they try to sell the lead coffins on the antiquities market. On the other hand, the looters may simply dispose of the coffins and other grave goods through a clandestine private sale, and we will never hear of them again.

A scientific survey of the Qumran cemeteries is scheduled for this summer. The tombs with lead coffins will be identified by professional archaeological surveyors.

No excavation is planned, however, because of the powerful religious groups in Israel who would object. These religious Jews must now make a choice: They must decide whether to drop their objections or leave the bones to the looters.

Will the religious community ask archaeologists to excavate the tombs with lead coffins so that the bones can be appropriately reburied? If they do nothing, they will have made their choice—leave it to the looters.

Powerful segments of the religious community in Israel, supported by some Orthodox Jews in the United States, have long objected to the excavation of ancient Jewish tombs, claiming that it is forbidden by Jewish law (halakhah). But, as we have previously shown in these pages, halakhah requires only that the excavated bones be reburied with dignity and respect; and when desecration of graves is threatened, religious law requires excavation and appropriate reburial. The religious objection to excavating tombs is based more on politics than religious law.a Now, if the objectors are really concerned about the bones of their ancestors, […]