Research of No.129-b House Tomb at the North Necropolis in Palmyra, 2010
Kiyohide Saito: Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Nara
Aumar As’sad: Directorate of Antiquities and Museums of Palmyra
I.

Introduction (pl.1-5)
Our goal of research in Palmyra is to understand “Funerary practices in Palmyra”

and we have carried out several excavations to accomplish our goal since 1990. We haveamassed the information and data on funerary practices with those excavations. We
have engaged on the excavation of No. 129-b House Tomb to comprehend Palmyrian
funerary practices and their social background more with generous understanding in
the Director General of Antiquities and Museums of Syria since 2006. This work issituated as the cooperated work with our mission and Syria by the Director General ofAntiquities and Museums of Palmyra.
No.129-b House Tomb named by Weigand and Krencker (1932) is situated at thenorth necropolis and is located near the city site (Acropolis). This tomb was taken in theZenobia Wall which was constructed in the Diocretiamus period and played for the
defensive wall. Recently this defensive wall has been made restoration andreconstruction by Palmyra Museum and this work provides some information that thereis the difference of elevation between inside and outside of the wall. It indicates that thewall was changed by some geographical circumstances especially around No.129-b
because of water flow from a moat about 8m wide and about 4m deep outside the wall.
Therefore, a north side foundation of 129-b house tomb was exposed by that.
II. Contents of past researches (Saito 2010, Saito and As’sad 2011)
A. House tomb (No.129-b) (pl.6-13)
Since 2006 we have scanned collapsed stones by 3D laser scanner to understand thesituation of the heap of stones and have removed them with archaeological methods
after scanning over and over. Through the work we realized the rough process of thecollapse of the tomb. The north wall fell down first and then the east, south and west
wall consecutively fell down by some natural disasters.
No.129-b House tomb has a plan of square about 12.25m and about 13m high. In frontof the west side foundation stairs was attached to extend to west. A gate was built in thewest wall with attaching stairs. The stairs attached to the west side of the foundation
extending to the westward and was 6.72m long, 6.76m wide and about 2.20m high andconsisted of 12 steps. Each step was 16cm high and 36cm wide.
Each wall was formed with four columns consisting of two corner-columns and twomiddle inter-columns. Each capital of the column was the Corinth style. Between thecapital and the column base seven stones were piled. Each wall was formed with sevenpiled stones of each 75cm – 85cm high except for the foundation and roof structures. The
height of the wall was 675cm. The shape of the roof in No.129-b House tomb was a gablestyle that the German mission reconstructed and the gable faced to west and east
(Schmidt-Collnet 1992). There were three pseudo-windows in each wall. Thepseudo-windows consisting of two types eaves such as a regular triangle gable eaves
and a gable built in a canopy-type eaves. The location of the pseudo-window wasbetween the capitals. An approximate height of the eaves of niches was 8.3m from thetop of the foundation. One of the characteristics of this house tomb could be seen on thesurface of the stone blocks for walls. Comparing with stone blocks in other house tombs,
these stone blocks were finished with smooth treatment on both sides (outside andinside against the wall).
There were interior finishing materials as parts of pillars and girders forming as aspace like a court yard on the stone floor in the center of the inside tomb. A court yard
was a square, 3m to 4m. A pillar was a square.
The floor was covered with a rectangle stone, about 280cm long x 120cm to 140cm
wide x about 35cm thick, in the central area, but the size of the floorboard along walls
has not been known yet. The floor was set up the level of the tenth steps from theground and was about 170cm high from the ground level. The floor was sustained byloculi as a burial facility along a surround wall of the foundation of the tomb and four
rectangular pillars under pillars compositing a courtyard-shape square space. Those
facilities were constructed with soft limestone. However, most of stones formed loculi
were taken away.
In the south side foundation of this tomb the gate was set up and two lines of Greek
inscription which were eroded at the some part existing on the lintel, however the placeof the gate was located in the center of the south side foundation which a well wasconstructed in front in early-modern times. The gate was filled with rectangular stone
panels with plaster to protect leakage water from the well. The beginning and end of theinscription were covered with a framework of the well. The well was a trapezoid andwas 94cm wide in the side of the inscription.
In the west and south side of stairs the ground was formed an upgrade incline fromsouth to north to use as a workshop carrying stones for the defensive wall. The ground
was covered with clay, plaster and fragments of stones. During the construction of thewall infants were buried into holes out the back of a step stone for stairs was taken
away. They were put into jars for burial.

There were interior finishing materials as parts of pillars and girders forming as aspace like a court yard on the stone floor in the center of the inside tomb. A court yard
was a square, 3m to 4m. A pillar was a square.
B. Infant Graves (pl.29)
Infant graves were found at the working slope for constructing the defensive wall as
supplemental evidences in 2007. In 2008 the whole stairs of the house tomb, about 19
infant graves (A-T except for J) were newly found and four of them were dug up. Theseinfants were buried during constructing the slope for the defensive wall. Every infant
grave was existed in different stratums. It shows us that these graves were set up on
the slope which was constructed for working place of the defensive wall. These infant
graves consisted of a grave with a jar, pit grave and a sepulcher. Especially asepulcher-type grave before the Islamic period was found for the first time in Palmyra.
A sepulcher (a notion of “LAHED” in Arabic) forms L letter shape in the section andconsisted of a part of shaft and a space for the dead in the bottom. Three dead were
under one year old. Pottery was a jar dated late third century A.D. 1 All infant graves
around the stairs were constructed in the late third century A.D.
C. Supplemental research
We also focused on finding out the facts of causes of destruction of No.129-b House
Tomb with geoarchaeological method. We have assumed that one of causes of thecollapse of No.129-b House Tomb was a natural disaster like earthquakes because
stones forming the house tomb partially showed collapse in a regular manner with theresearch in 2006.
We observed sedimentation and found some traces caused the collapse of the tombwith layers at the west end and south end of the research area. Some traces were caused
by liquefaction in earthquakes.
III. Research in 2010
A. House Tomb (pl.14-28)
This season we removed about sixty stones and put those on the spaces for every
direction of the walls, interior stones and stones for a floor inside the tomb withidentifying the stones to the original position after scanning those stones with 3D laser
system like past four years. The interior finishing materials and floorboards were

1 Instruction by Dr. Christiane Romer-Strehl of the German mission.

mainly removed this year.
A structure of a courtyard in the center of the floor became definite. The courtyard
was a square of side 3.4m. At the four corners of the courtyard a pillar of a right-angled
hook shape was fixed on the same shape pedestal. A side of each pillar facing to thenorth and south walls of this house tomb had brackets for loculi consisting of six tiers asburial facilities. Two lines of loculi were built between the courtyard pillar and the walland faced inside of the tomb. However, a structure inside the courtyard is still unclear
at present.
Most important matter this year is to find a lintel stone which was fixed on the maingate. The existence of the lintel is important to comprehend the size and structure of themain entrance. The size of the lintel is 260cm long, 80cm wide and 80cm high. Two holes
for the double door posts were bored in the side of this stone.
Last year we assumed that the floor was sustained by loculi as a burial facility alongwalls of the foundation of the tomb and four rectangular pillars under pillars
compositing a square courtyard. However this year we unearthed a straight corridor 2
leading to a gate in the foundation of the south side. It means that a facility as acourtyard formed four rectangular pillars same as the Funerary Temple did not exist
under the floor in this tomb. This corridor was 227cm wide and paved with stone slabs
and was 282cm deep from the top of the foundation. Both walls of the corridor wereconstructed with soft limestone formed loculi, but most of them were taken away. Thecorridor leading to the gate reached to the gate with two steps. Though stones of thewest side of steps were taken away, from the corridor the first step was 18cm high and30cm wide and the second step was 23cm high and 30cm wide.
In the south side foundation of this tomb the gate was built into and two lines ofGreek inscription were carved on the lintel but some parts were eroded. This gate waslocated in the center of the south side foundation which was utilized as a north side wallof a well constructed in front of the gate before collapse of this tomb. The beginning andend of the inscription were covered with a framework of the well. The inscription tells usthat this tomb is related to a Roman who was Gaius Julius Bassus 3
Some fragmental bones including animal bones and many pottery sheds were mixed
in the soil. Several fragments of funeral sculptures including a fragment of funerary
male bust-type sculpture incising “HBL NBW YHB” 4 and many fragments decorated

2Same facility was excavated at No.173 House Tomb by Mr. Aumar As’sad of the Palmyra museum.
Instruction by Dr. Gawlikowski, Michal of the University of Warszawa.
4 Instruction by Dr. Gawlikowski, Michal of the University of Warszawa. This name is the first appearance3

as a person except for “ NBW” of the Nbw Temple in Palmyra.

interior finishing materials were also found.
B. Infant Graves (pl.29-41)
Last three years infant graves were found on the working slope for constructing thedefensive wall as supplemental evidences in the excavation of No.129-b House Tomb.
Within twenty three infant graves (A-W) nineteen graves (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L,M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T) were dug up for three years. This year three graves (J, V, W) wereunearthed. Every infant grave existed in different stratums forming the working slope.
These infant graves consisted of a grave with a jar (J), and sepulcher-type grave (V, W).
Grave J was a jar-type grave and the north part of this grave was destroyed by Grave
E. Grave J was used an earthen pipe as a coffin instead of a jar and this was put in thecenter of a pit of 110cm long, about 50cm wide and 54cm deep. The earthen pipe was
laced in an upright position and the male connector was the upper side. It was 28cm
diameter and 40cm high and was covered by two stones. This earthen pipe was fixedwith four stones about the size of 20cm-30cm long in the bottom of the pit and then was
filled with earth. An infant skeleton of zero - two month old was unearthed from about
10cm thick sand accumulated at the bottom of the pipe. The burial feature of the infant
could not be certified from the depositional situation of bones. There were no burial
goods in this grave.
Grave V was a sepulcher-type grave and was located at the southeast side of Grave Q.
This grave was 99cm long, 45cm wide and 36cm deep in the shaft part and 68cm long,
30cm wide and 7cm deep in the sepulcher part. The sepulcher was dug in the northsidewall and was covered with mud bricks and stones. A fetus was buried with the bodyextended and oriented to the west. There were no burial goods in this grave.
Grave W was a sepulcher-type grave and was located at the east side of Grave V. Thisgrave was reused Grave U. This grave was 101cm long, 45cm wide and 55cm deep in theshaft part and 55cm long, 45cm wide and 45cm deep in the sepulcher part abutting on
the east side of a cist of Grave U. The sepulcher was dug in the north sidewall and wascovered with some organic material like a wooden board. The shaft was covered withthree mud bricks and pebbles. An infant who was one year – one year six months old
was buried with the body extended and oriented to the north. There were no burial
goods in this grave.
IV. Summary
Since 2006 the excavation of No. 129-b House tomb has carried out with a greatcooperation of the Directorate of Antiquities and Museum of Syria. This year wecontinued to analyze the depositional situation of stones of this tomb with 3D laser
scanning system. After 3D laser scanning we removed about hundred stones.
At present we have understood the following points in four-year research on No.129-b
House tomb.
1. No. 129-b House tomb is a regular square plan of side 12.25m at present.
2. The shape of the roof is gable and the height of this tomb is about 13m.
3. Acroterion might be on the roof.
4. Three niches are set up on every wall except for the west side as
pseudo-windows consisting of two types.
5. The main vestibule is set up in the west side and a stairs is installed.
6.

The gate of the main vestibule was fitted up double doors.

7.

The surface of stone blocks for walls is smoothly finished up on the both sides.
This treatment is aware of the visibility of the inside wall.

8.

The north – south line in the center of the floor over the foundation consists of
six large stone.

9.

A facility as a courtyard was set up in the center of the floor over the foundation.
This facility consists of four right-angled hook-shape pillars.

10. Two lines of loculi were built between the courtyard and the north and southwalls and faced inside of the tomb.
11.

The gate was set up in the center of the south side foundation.

12.

Under the floor consisting of six large stone there was a straight corridor of227cm width leading to the gate inside the south side foundation.

13.

Two steps leads to the corridor from the gate.

14.

The corridor was paved with stone slabs.

15.

Whole facility under the floor is constructed with soft lime stones.

16.

Two lines Greek inscription incised on a lintel of the gate of the south sidefoundation is related to a Roman who was Gaius Julius Bassus.

Other results
1. An up-grade incline from south to north to use as a working area carrying
stones for the defensive wall is set on the stairs.
2.

The working area for the construction of the defensive wall is used for infantgraves. These infant graves mainly consist of a grave with jar grave and asepulcher-type grave. Most of infants are under one year old.

3.

The sepulcher-type grave is close resemblance to the present Palmyrian gravewith the notion of “LAHED” in Islamic world.

4.

Some traces of earthquakes are found with sedimentation of layers around129-b House Tomb.

Above results will be essentially changed with future works.
Acknowledgement
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all Syrian authorities, especially Dr. BassamJamous, Director General of Antiquities and Museums of the Syrian Arab Republic, Dr. Michil
Maqdesi, Director of the Archaeological Excavation Department are greatly acknowledged the mostkind permission and cooperation to us. In Palmyra Mr. Waleed As’sad, Director of the Directorate ofAntiquities and Museums of Palmyra and Dr. Khaleil Hariri, Director of Palmyra Museum gave us
a great help to our excavation.
At the end we express our appreciation to give us a great opportunity and support to operate 3D
scanning system by Accord cooperation (http://www.a-accord.co.jp).
** This research was carried out with the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (No.20251008) to K.Saito
from the Japan Society for the Promotion of the Science and also the administrative support of theDirectorate of Antiquities and Museums of Palmyra.

Reference
Saito, Kiyohide 2010 “Excavation of No.129-b House Tomb at the North Necropolos in Palmyra”
Chronique Archaologique Syrie – Special Issue Documenting the Annual Excavation ReportsExcavation Reports of 2008 – Al-Bassel Centre for Archaeological Research and Training,Damascus.
Saito, Kiyohide and Aumar As’sad 2011 “Excavation of No.129-b House Tomb at the North Necropolosin Palmyra – Cooperated Research of the Syria and Nara Palmyra Archaeological Mission ofJapan in 2009” Chronique Archaologique Syrie – Special Issue Documenting the Annual
Excavation Reports- Excavation Reports of 2009 – Al-Bassel Centre for Archaeological Research
and Training, Damascus.
Schmidt-Colinet,A.(ed.)

1992“DasTempelgrab

Nr.36

inPalmyra”

Studienzur

Palmyrenischen Grabarchitectur und jhrer Ausstattung.Damaszner Mitteilungen Sonderdruck 6.
Wiegand,Th. and Krencker,D. 1932 “Palmyra”, Berlin.

pl.1. Location of No.129 –b House Tomb in Palmyra

pl.2. View of No.129-b from the Arab castle

pl.3. View of No.129-b from the north before the excavationin 2006

pl.4. Whole view of No.129-b from the west before theexcavation in 2006

pl.5. Whole view of No.129-b from the north before theexcavation in 2006

pl.6. Whole view of No.129-b from the south
upper part before the excavation in 2006

pl.8. Whole view of No.129-b from the south upperin 2007

pl.7. 3D Image of No.129-b House Tomb from the upper
part in 2006

pl.9. 3D Image of No.129-b House tomb from the right upper
part in 2007

pl.10. Whole view of No.129-b from the south upper part in 2008
Pl.11. 3D Image of No.129-b House tomb from the right upper part in 2008

pl.12. Whole view of No.129-b from the southern upper
right part in 2009

pl.14.

pl.13. 3D Image of No.129-b House tomb from theupper part in 2009

Whole view of No.129-b from the upper partpl.15. 3D Image of No.129-b House tomb from the right upper part in 2010

pl.16. Section by 3D Image of No.129-b House tomb from the south in 2010

pl. 17. Removing a lintel

pl.18. Lintel of the main gatepl.1920. Beams over pillars in a court yard

pl.20. Capital of a pillar in a court yard

pl.21. Pillar in a court yard

pl.22. Base of a pillar in a court yard

pl.23. Semicircular shapepillar between loculi

pl.24. Greek inscription on the lintel of the gate in the south side foundation(left: the beginning of a sentence / right: the end of a sentence)

pl.25. A gate and a stairs attached to the south sidefoundation ( from the inside)

pl.26. Corridor leading to the gate in thesouth side foundation (from the south)

pl.27. Whole view of 129-b House Tomb (from the upper part)pl.28. Whole view of 129-b House Tomb (from the west upper part)pl.29. Distribution map of infant gravespl.30. Cover stones of Grave J

pl.31. Depositional situation of cover stones and acoffin of Grave J

pl.32. Depositional situation of an earthen pipe as a coffin
insidepl.33. Depositional situation of skeletal remains
the earthen pipe

pl.34. Depositional situation of the cover in Grave V

pl.35. Depositional situation of skeletal remains

pl.36. Depositional situation of the cover in Grave U

pl37. Depositional situation of the first cover(Large stone in the left) & W(mud bricks in the right)

in Grave W (cover for shaft of Grave W)

pl.38. Depositional situation of the second cover in Grave W

pl.39. Whole view of the shaft part of Grave W

pl.40. Depositional situation of the cover in Grave U andpl.41. Depositional situation of skeletal remains ofthe place over a burial part of Grave W (left side of a large stone)

Grave W