In Hebron, Herod constructed a monumental enclosure above the site traditionally identified as the Cave of the Patriarchs. While the complex has long been examined within the framework of Herodian temenos architecture in Judea, certain features of its design remain difficult to explain within local architectural traditions. This study reconsiders the Hebron enclosure through a broader eastern-Mediterranean comparative perspective. It focuses on three distinctive elements: the conception of a funerary monument enclosed within a temenos, the external fillet-profile cornice crowning the enclosure wall, and the prominent protruding beams integrated into its façade. Drawing on a methodological framework that evaluates rarity, formal specificity, tectonic reinterpretation, and historical plausibility of cross-regional contact, the article explores whether these features may reflect selective engagement with Lycian funerary architecture, particularly monuments at Xanthus and Trysa. Rather than proposing direct imitation, the study argues that the convergence of uncommon and contextually coherent elements suggests a process of architectural adaptation within a shared eastern-Mediterranean milieu of elite monumental expression. By situating the Hebron enclosure within broader patterns of cultural transmission and dynastic self-representation, the article contributes to ongoing discussions of Herodian architectural eclecticism and commemorative strategy.
Gershon Bar Cochva (2026) studied this question.