Burial caves from the early Roman-early byzantine periods at Ben Shemen

Four burial caves were discovered at Ben Shemen: Caves 1-3 are loculi (kokhim) caves of the type characteristic of Jerusalem and the Judean Hills during the Early Roman period; Cave 4 is an arcosolium cave, attributed to the Late Roman and early Byzantine periods. The kokhim caves yielded stone ossuaries- decorated with standard motifs characteristic of the period-and meager finds dating from the mid-first and second centuries CE. They were used as family burial place for the nearby Jewish settlement. Cave 4 consists of three arcosolia, each containing a burial shelf. The ceiling, the walls and the partitions of the burial shelves were covered with white plaster, on which were the remains of red paint. A Greek inscription in red was also found, indicating that the cave was used by Christians in the late third or the early fourth century CE.