Valley of the Tombs
Explore the Valley of the Tombs west of ancient Palmyra where the distinctive tower tombs of wealthy Palmyrene merchant families rise from the desert, their multi-story funerary towers housing the remains of the aristocracy who grew rich from the caravan trade.
- 1
Tower Tomb Overview
Survey the Valley of the Tombs from a high point where the concentration of tower tombs rising from the desert floor creates the most distinctive funerary landscape in the ancient world, the multi-story stone towers housing the remains of Palmyrene merchant families.
- 2
Tomb of Elahbel
Visit the Tomb of Elahbel, one of the finest tower tombs at Palmyra, its four-story structure housing the remains of several generations of a wealthy Palmyrene family, the funerary portraits inside showing the distinctive Palmyrene style of portraiture.
- 3
Funerary Portraits
See examples of the extraordinary Palmyrene funerary portrait busts that decorated the loculi of the tower tombs, the frontal-facing portraits with their stylized hair and jewelry providing the most vivid images of the Palmyrene population.
- 4
Underground Hypogea
Explore underground hypogea at Palmyra, the underground family tombs that complement the tower tombs in the Valley of the Tombs, the subterranean chambers with their carved loculi and painted ceilings showing the diversity of Palmyrene funerary practice.
- 5
Tomb Inscriptions
Read the Palmyrene Aramaic inscriptions on the tomb facades that identify the families buried within and the dates of construction, the inscriptions in the distinctive Palmyrene alphabet providing the prosopography of the merchant aristocracy of the ancient city.
- 6
Desert Landscape
Experience the extraordinary desert setting of the Valley of the Tombs where the golden light of the Syrian desert illuminates the ancient stone towers, the silence and isolation of the funerary valley creating the contemplative atmosphere the Palmyrenes intended for this sacred space.