The Valley of Tombs, Palmyra

To the west of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, once stood a sprawling necropolis, unique in its own way by the tower tombs that dominate the landscape.

Valley of the Tombs, Palmyra (تدمر), Syria - From the city to the tomb area - PHBZ024 2016 1140 - Dumbarton Oaks.jpg

They are a unique feature of the city and consist of two types of tombs, Tower tombs and underground Hypogeum tombs. The tower tombs would have been constructed first and were multi-level, above ground tombs, that could house hundreds of bodies, across the varying levels.

Once these towers reached capacity, they would then begin stretching the tombs underground, offering up a second type of burial in this particular necropolis. The underground Hypogeum's was an underground extension to each tower tomb and would allow for hundreds of more bodies to be entombed at the site.

The tower tombs themselves were a unique site, as even though they date from the Hellenistic and Roman period, they are rarely seen elsewhere in the Greco-Roman world. This fact alone made them and even more striking structure in the landscape outside of Palmyra.

Tower Tomb of Iamliku, Valley of the Tombs, Palmyra (تدمر), Syria - Celing and pilasters - PHBZ024 2016 2864 - Dumbarton Oaks.jpg

But how did they fit so many bodies into these tombs?

Each body was laid flat and slid onto a shelf, which was then covered over by a carved and painted relief of the person along with their name. These were generally built for wealthy families and traders and could almost be considered dynastic burial structures. This is also evident in the discovery of scraps of silk that have been found within the tombs. This is an important discovery as they are some of the earliest finds of silk in Palmyra and the in the area.

The appearance of silk within the tombs is due to the fact that Palmyra became an important part of the Silk Roads in the area as trade routes expanded, and it became a hub for trade during the Roman empire. Silk was an important part of the burial process, as a type of mummification was used at Palmyra, and one of the final stages of this process was the bodies were wrapped in silk before being entombed. Reliefs in these tombs were even carved to depict the wearer in silk, further suggesting the materials importance in society and the burial process.

Tomb of Elahbel, Valley of Tombs, Palmyra (تدمر), Syria - South facade - PHBZ024 2016 1150 - Dumbarton Oaks.jpg

One of the more notable of these tower tombs is the Tower of Elahbel (or Tower 13), which was a four-level sandstone tomb, and was one of several that were built in the Valley itself and was the tallest. Due to an inscription on the tower itself, we know that it was completed in AD103 and was built by Marcus Ulpius Elahbelus and his three brothers Manai, Shakaiei, and Malku. This tower in particular is significant for a few reasons. Firstly, it has been important to the history of textiles, as this is where the fragments of very early silk were found, which could be dated to the 1st century AD. Secondly, it gave us a look into society, with Marcus Ulpius Elahbelus having a Roman name, indicating that he had Roman citizenship, and that he was likely given that citizenship during the reign of Emperor Trajan (AD 98 - 117). Highlighting how the Roman empire had spread into the area during this time period.

Unfortunately, in 2015 these towers, along with many other historical and religious buildings in and around Palmyra were destroyed by ISIL.