ΙAΦΕ

∆ΙAΦΕΡΟΝ

re[lat]ed to

This means that several people who were related to another person whose name was not preserved were buried in the original tomb. This person, probably a member of the clergy, was probably of a high rank or standing. It seems that all three inscribed stones were part of one inscription that was broken into narrower pieces. The complete inscribed slab served as a tombstone. This tombstone, from the Byzantine period, joins several similar stones which were discovered over the years along the Kidron Valley, particularly east of the Temple Mount (e.g., Bieberstein and Bloedhorn 1994: III: 213, 224–228, 242, 247–250, 256–262).