Endnote 9 – Odd Tomb Out

One bottle dated to the second to third century C.E.; the bracelet dated to the third to fourth century C.E.; and the other bottle dated to the fourth to fifth century C.E. We cannot convincingly explain the later finds. Perhaps they are intrusive in old graves, or perhaps new graves were hewn in the ancient method. We suppose that at least two Second Temple period tombs were cleaned and reused later. Sherds of ribbed jars were found in the earthen fill of the shafts. For a discussion on secondary use of Second Temple period burial caves during the late Roman and early Byzantine periods, see Gideon Avni and Zvi Greenhut, “The Akeldama Tombs, Three Burial Caves in the Kidron Valley, Jerusalem,” IAA [Israel Antiquities Authority] Reports 1 (1996), pp. 35–36. The evidence for secondary use of Second Temple period tombs had previously been limited to burial caves because very few individual burials had been uncovered in the Jerusalem area until our excavations at Beit Safafa.