For the full report, please refer to STUDIA PALMYREŃSKIE XII. Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology.

The Hypogeum of Aqraban: A Window into Palmyrene Funerary Practices

In 2007, the accidental caving-in of ground in the garden of Abu Khanjar, located on the western edge of the Palmyrene oasis near the modern road, unveiled an underground tomb that would later be identified as the Hypogeum of Aqraban. Situated in the Southwest Necropolis, this area had previously been explored in the 1930s by Harald Ingholt, who documented approximately fifty hypogea, though without detailed mapping. Among these tombs lies the famous Tomb of the Three Brothers, discovered in 1900, and more recently, the Tomb of Bariki, excavated by Khaled al-As’ad. Additionally, the tombs of Zabd’ateh, Hatrai, and Hamtus have been explored in the vicinity. The Hypogeum of Aqraban, however, stands as another example to the Palmyrene underground burials.

Architectural Layout and Challenges

Like other underground tombs in the region, the Hypogeum of Aqraban was carved into the ground and plastered on the interior to stabilize its vaulted ceilings. Over time, the plastering eroded, making the structure prone to collapse. This instability, coupled with the fact that the tomb is located on private property, posed significant challenges for excavation and conservation efforts, ultimately rendering it impractical to keep the tomb open.

The tomb’s entrance, oriented to the east, is located at the end of a simple flight of steps carved into the ground. The stone jambs and lintel of the doorway lacked any inscriptions or decorative elements. The entrance led into a main gallery measuring 2 meters in width and 14.6 meters in length, terminating in a slightly wider rectangular exedra. Branching off from the main gallery were four lateral galleries, each between 6 and 7.3 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. These galleries contained loculi—rectangular niches hollowed into the ground—which were used for stacking burials. Each loculus accommodated four superimposed burials.

The arrangement of the loculi was largely symmetrical in the first two lateral galleries, which contained 14 and 16 loculi, respectively. However, the inner corridors were less regular. The left corridor featured 12 loculi, while the right had only five, supplemented by five additional loculi constructed to address the instability of the ground. The terminal exedra housed six loculi and a central sarcophagus, emphasizing the tomb’s significance as a family burial site.

Discoveries

The Hypogeum of Aqraban yielded a number of artistic artifacts, the most remarkable of which is a small relief measuring 57 by 77 centimeters. Carved on a roughly cut slab of white limestone, the relief features a plinth supporting a simple rectangular frame, with the upper corners cut obliquely. Although the composition adheres to typical Palmyrene artistic norms, the execution is somewhat naive and unrefined, complicating efforts to date the piece. However, a tentative date in the 1st century CE has been proposed.

The relief depicts two bearded men standing frontally. The figure on the right wears a Greek himation, while the other dons traditional Parthian attire, consisting of a tunic and ample trousers. Both men are identified by a single line of Aramaic inscription:

“Hbl ydy‘bl wml’ ’hwhy bny ‘qrbn”

“Alas! Yedi‘bel and Male, his brother, sons of Aqraban.”

To the left of the men stands a camel, its bridle held by a boy clad in a long-girded tunic. The camel, rendered smaller to fit within the relief field, is depicted with exceptional detail, showcasing a high wooden saddle (known as “sadad” in modern terminology) placed on a checkered saddlecloth bordered with pearls. The saddle’s padding rises between two high boards and is covered with fleece, with additional equipment such as a woven sack, a small shield, a sword, a quiver, and a flask attached to the saddle.

Cross section. Shalamallat burial, Western Valley of the Tombs: 

Additional Sculptures

Two other sculptures found in the tomb include a bust of a man and a stele of a woman, both identified through inscriptions. The male bust, perfectly preserved, depicts Zebida, son of Simron Aqraban, holding writing tablets in his left hand. His clean-shaven face and short, pointed tufts of hair, along with the inscription’s script style, suggest a date in the first half of the 2nd century CE.

The stele of the woman, identified as Tuqim, daughter of Suhaybi, shows her standing on a semicircular plinth. She wears a long-sleeved robe and an apron fastened with a triangular fibula featuring a lion’s head. A veil descends from her headgear to the ground, held away from her face with her right hand. The stele’s style and details similarly suggest a date in the early 2nd century CE.

Funerary Objects

The tomb also contained a variety of grave goods, including terracotta lamps, pottery alabastra, and glass vessels. Among the 33 lamps recovered, 12 belong to 1st-century angular nozzle types, while 14 are molded imitations of Roman lamps, dated to the mid-2nd century CE. The glass vessels, primarily unguentaria and jars, were used for storing precious oils or unguents employed in funerary rites. Notably, a polygonal glass bottle, found for the first time in Palmyra, and a cinerary urn with a conical lid were also uncovered. The urn, containing charred bones, provides rare evidence of cremation in Palmyra, possibly indicating the burial of a foreigner following Roman customs.

Glass cinerary urn (top left) and selection of vessels from the tomb, not to scale. Glass and (bottom right) glazed pottery (Photo curtesy of Dr. Kh. al-Hariri)

Conclusion

The Hypogeum of Aqraban, though abandoned shortly after its establishment due to structural instability, offers yet another insights into Palmyrene funerary practices, art, and material culture. Its architectural features and artifacts not only reflect the region’s artistic and cultural traditions but also underscore the complexities of preserving such heritage sites. The discoveries made within this tomb contribute significantly to our understanding of life and death in ancient Palmyra, bridging the past with the present through the enduring legacy of its people.

For the full report please refer back to the reference bellow.

Doorway to the tomb from inside (Photo is curtesy from Dr. Khalil Al Hariri)