Tombs of the Kings of Judah? T1

Tombs of the Kings of Judah? T1

View looking north at "T1," the largest of the "tombs" excavated by Weill.  This "tunnel" was cut into the bedrock and is about 54 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, and 6 ft high (within the dark cavity).

At some point, the floor of the front 32 feet of the tunnel was lowered, giving the tunnel in the front area a height of more than 12 feet.  On the left (visible) and right (barely visible) grooves were cut into the walls of the lower addition of T1 at the height of the original floor.  It seems that an artificial floor, of wood beams or stone arches, was constructed using these grooves.  This provided upper and lower areas for burials.

T1 seems to be the "tomb" that Zorn, and Shanks, believe was the Tomb of King David!

See here for the interior of "tomb" T1.

Raymond Weill excavated near the southern tip of the City of David (1913 to 1914).  This area of the City of David was subject to much quarrying after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 by the Romans.  Weill estimated that in some places 10 ft. of limestone had been quarried away!

The Bible says that the kings of Judah, from David to Ahaz (d. 732 BC) were buried in the City of David.  Some supposed that the unusual underground route of "Hezekiah's Tunnel" avoided passing under these "tombs."  This identification is questioned by many, but any firm alternatives are lacking.

Zorn, Jeffrey R. “Is T1 David's Tomb?” Biblical Archaeology Review 38, no. 6 (November/December, 2012): 44–52, 78.

Shanks, Hershel. “Is This King David's Tomb?” Biblical Archaeology Review 21, no. 1 (January/February, 1995): 62–67.