The structure’s plan of Herod’s Family Tomb is strikingly similar to Roman round tomb-monuments, like those of Augustus and Hadrian in Rome. This similarity, along with the Herodian period pottery and ashlar decorations found at the site, supports the theory that it dates back to Herod’s time. Josephus’s references to “Herod’s Monument” in Jerusalem further imply that this structure served as a mausoleum for Herod’s family The tomb consists of several notable features:

• Rock-Cut Chambers: Five underground rooms arranged in a cross-shaped layout.
• Sarcophagi: Originally housed intricately carved sarcophagi, now relocated to the Monastery of Constantine.
• Entrance and Rolling Stone: Marked by a large rolling stone, a common feature in ancient Jewish burial sites.
• Decorative Elements: Walls built with Herodian-style ashlars and decorated with opus reticulatum, a Roman construction technique involving a lattice pattern of stones filled with concrete and covered with plaster. This method was widely used in Italy but is rare in the Near East.

Detailed Findings and Structure:

• Opus Reticulatum: This technique involved laying small, uniformly cut stones in diagonal rows, creating a patterned structure. Behind this lattice, concrete was poured to form a strong wall core. Plaster, sometimes decorated with frescoes, covered the lattice pattern, creating a smooth outer surface.
• Concentric Circles: Excavations revealed two concentric circular walls, suggesting the structure was initially an imposing monument with an outer wall about 110 feet in diameter and an inner wall about 40 feet in diameter.
• Herodian-Style Ashlars: Both Schick and later archaeologists found decorated ashlar blocks, indicative of the original beauty and magnificence of the structure.