Tomb of Hiram I

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The "Tomb of Hiram I" (French: Tombe de Hiram), is a carved limestone burial structure located some 6 kilometres southeast of Tyre, near the village of Hanaouay on the road to Qana. The structure is compesed of lime-stone blockes topped with a colossal limestone sarcophagus. The monolithic monument is known as the Qabr Hiram, also spelled as Kabr Hiram (قبر حيرام) in Arabic, literally meaning the 'the grave of Hiram'.

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Overview

Although attributed to the legendary king Hiram, who may have reigned Tyre in the tenth century BCE, the tomb-structure in fact dates to the Persian age (circa 539-332 BCE). There is some typological similarity to the tombs at Pasargadae and Gur-e Dokhtar. There are several Byzantine tombs in the neighborhood.

King Hiram was a Phoenician King who reigned from around 980 to 947 BCE (although this date may vary by 10-years). According to the bible he had a close relationship with David, and aided Solomon [see N1 and N2] in the building of his temple [see N3]. According to Jewish historian Josephus King Hiram I of Tyre is said to have lived to be 53-years of age, but reigned only 34 of them having taken the throne after his father Abibaal passed and was succeeded by his son Baal-Eser. Although there exists some confusion from Biblical text as the timelines don’t quite match up as Solomon and David deal with a “King Hiram” for a time of around 54-years [see N4].

In the late sixth centure CE, circa 580 CE, during the Byzantine era a church/basilica was constructed nearby. The church was dedicated to Saint Christopher who was killed during the reign of either Decius or Maximinus Daia.

Brief History

Phoenician Era
Although today it stands alone, dominating the surrounding landscape, it was part of a large necropolis associated with the Phoenician city of Tyre and its surrounding areas.

Architecture

The sarcophagus is a monolithic limestone block that rests on a base made of three tiers of large stones. Rectangular in shape, it measures 4 meters long, 3 meters wide and about 2 meters high with a pyramid cover. The overall structure is about 7 meters heigh from the soil to the top of the cover. Although some of the stone-work is gone, the monument of Hiram has remained partially intact merely because the remaining stones were too large to remove.

Excavations carried out at the foot of the tomb uncovered an oblique staircase carved out of the rock which connected with the tomb’s foundations and led into a large irregularly vaulted cavern (check the plan at the end of the article).

The adjacent field was also excavated: it revealed the remnants of a church that housed one of the most important and beautiful mosaics in Lebanon. Other important findings such as pottery and structural foundations were unearthed.

Gallery

Notes

[N1] Therefore he said, “What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?” So they are called the land of Cabul[a] to this day (1 Kings 9:13).
[N2] Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Tyre, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they delivered entire communities over to Edom and did not remember the covenant of kinship (Amos 1:9).
[N3] And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house (2 Samuel 5:11).
[N4] According to the Bible, both kings grew rich through this trade, and Hiram sent Solomon architects, workmen, cedar wood, and gold to build the First Temple in Jerusalem. Josephus says that he also extended the Tyrean harbour, enlarged the city by joining the two islands on which it was built, and constructed a royal palace and a temple for Melqart (Against Apion i:17). Modern archaeology, however, has found no evidence for these expansions.

References

Peters, J. P. (1903). Palestinian Exploration: Notes of a Vacation in Palestine in 1902. Journal of Biblical Literature, 22(1), 15–31.
JONG, L. D. (2010). Performing Death in Tyre: The Life and Afterlife of a Roman Cemetery in the Province of Syria. American Journal of Archaeology, 114(4), 597–630.
Tomb of Hiram. Archnet.org. (2022). Retrieved 24 May 2022.
Michael D. Coogan, A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament page 213–214, Oxford University Press, 2009.
Demand, Nancy H. (2011). The Mediterranean Context of Early Greek History. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 230. ISBN 978-1405155519.
Conder, C.R.; Kitchener, H.H. (1881). The Survey of Western Palestine: Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archaeology. Vol. 1. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
Guérin, V. (1880). Description Géographique Historique et Archéologique de la Palestine (in French). Vol. 3: Galilee, pt. 2. Paris: L'Imprimerie Nationale.
Renan, E. (1864). Mission de Phénicie (in French). Paris: Imprimerie impériale.
Schumacher, G. (1889). "Sculptured figures near Kana". Quarterly Statement - Palestine Exploration Fund. 21: 259–264.

Tomb of Hiram I

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