What some important facts about the search for the grave of King Herod?

Answer 1

The question of "what are some important facts about the search for the grave of King Herod" is not answered by the first contributor. This well intended contributor informed us of where King Herod was buried. Therefore I must make this a major edit as the question refers to the "search".

First answer:

Herod's grave is located at Herodium where he had given instructions to be buried.

Major edit response....

A. Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer began his quest for the tomb of King Herod in 1963;

B. The 6 Day War in 1967, made more sites safer to explore, so undertook two sites that were known to be rich with artifacts, namely Jericho & Herodium;

C. Herodium has 2 sections, Lower Heridium where Herod built the largest villa complex in the Roman world & the palace fortress of Masada;

D. Netzer explored more in 1969, with no substantial results, although the details might be of value to "pure Archaeology" ;

E. In 1972, Netzer knew he was close to Herod's tomb and accelerated his efforts;

F. No results on the tomb search despite all of his efforts;

G. In 2006, after extensive digs in Lower Herodium, he took a new approach and looked to the 5 story East Tower of Upper Herodium;

H. In 2007, fragments of a sarcophagus were uncovered;

I. Netzer's team came upon a monument that once stood 80 feet high, it had been buried for centuries;

J.Three sarcophagi and human bones were uncovered. It became clear the perhaps 70 years after Herod's death the tomb had been compromised and the sarcophagi were intentionally broken into hundreds of pieces;

K. Herod had been hated by many Jews in his time for his extreme friendship with the Romans. Netzer believes that angry Jewish zealots destroyed the tomb of the hated Herod;

L. Netzer had indeed found the tomb but now politics and religion came into play;

L1. Palestinian leaders believed that the "find" would strengthen the claims to more territory for Israel, AND Ultra Conservative Jewish leaders wanted no ancient Jewish burial grounds "desecrated" . It was insisted that Herod's tomb be reburied under concrete and never touched.

So far, that is the story of the Tomb of King Herod.