Archaeologists have identified an ancient cave located in a forest in Jerusalem as the tomb of Salome, the midwife who assisted in the birth of Jesus Christ, based on inscriptions found on the cave walls.
The tomb of midwife Salome located in a 2,000-year-old cave. (Photo: IAA)
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on December 20 that an inscription in ancient Greek and Arabic confirms that the tomb belongs to Salome, the midwife of Jesus Christ. The research team also discovered remnants of several nearby shops, dating back to the 8th and 9th centuries, that sold oil lamps used for worship. Hundreds of complete and broken lamps were found in the courtyard outside, indicating that the cave served as a place of worship.
“We believe that pilgrims came here, rented an oil lamp, conducted worship inside, and then moved on,” said IAA archaeologist Zvi Firer.
The role of Salome as a midwife is recounted in the Gospel of St. James. Salome was from Bethlehem and was the second midwife of the Virgin Mary.
Thieves discovered the tomb in 1982 and stole the coffin. Official excavations were conducted two years later. The cave consists of several chambers and broken stone boxes. However, the courtyard outside the cave was discovered for the first time after 2,000 years, measuring over 350m2, surrounded by square-shaped stone walls.
Archaeologists also found a mosaic floor that was used to decorate the courtyard. The pathway leading into the cave and the chapel inside were also excavated. Some stone slabs were intricately carved with designs of various plants, including roses, pomegranates, and vases filled with leaves.
