TY - JOUR
TI - The Purpose of the Ritual Baths in the Tombs of the Kings: A New Proposal
AU - Abadi, Omri
AU - Zissu, Boaz
TI - The Purpose of the Ritual Baths in the Tombs of the Kings: A New Proposal
AB - The monumental burial complex known as the “Tombs of the Kings” is regarded by scholars as the burial plot of Queen Helena of Adiabene and her family, who lived in Jerusalem in the firstcentury CE. In this paper we reconsider the original purpose of the two large ritual baths in the burial compound, based on the location of the site relative to its surroundings. The scholarship assumes that ritual baths situated next to tombs were intended for use by participants in funerals or memorial ceremonies. In this paper we suggest that in the case of the Tombs of the Kings, the adjacent baths were meant for purificationof pilgrims en route to Jerusalem, as can be understood from their geographical location.
VL - 2019
IS - Volume 26
PY - 2019
SN - 1897-3426
C1 - 2084-3909
SP - 97
EP - 108
DO - 10.4467/20800909EL.19.005.11208
UR - https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/electrum/article/the-purpose-of-the-ritual-baths-in-the-tombs-of-the-kings-a-new-proposal
KW - “Tombs of the Kings
KW - ” Queen Helena of Adiabene
KW - Jewish ritual baths
KW - Jewish burial
KW - Jewish purification rites
KW - Jewish pilgrimage
KW - Jerusalem topography and geography