Biblical Views: A Rolling Stone That Was Hard to Roll

The image of the tomb of Jesus that generally leaps into people’s minds is of a rock-cut tomb closed by a large rolling stone. Yet archaeologists tell us this was probably not the case. According to Amos Kloner, who has examined more than 900 tombs in the vicinity of Jerusalem, there are only four tombs from the late Second Temple period that have rolling stones.^a The first is the tomb of the Queen Helena of Adiabene located up Nablus Road from the Damascus Gate.^b The second is the Tomb of Herod’s Family in west Jerusalem, not far from the King David Hotel.^c The third is another tomb close by the Tomb of Herod’s Family. The fourth is a tomb located in the upper Kidron Valley.