With the purpose of there reveal the remnants of the days of Herod, the expedition was forced to first discover a large complex of Byzantine structures (including one Church) an effort that took many years of excavations. The premise of the Tomb included two monumental buildings and a large ritual bath (Mikveh) as well as the long road (350 meters long and 30 meters wide) that was prepared for the funeral. When signs of burial site not found itself within the premises of the Tomb, the expedition began to look for him on the side of the Hill, although it seems to be no doubt that the initial intention of the King was to be buried in the land and that only at a later stage of his life apparently when aged changed his mind and asked to be buried inside the artificial cone that would give Herodion Hill its current Volcano shape. The main historical source of the days of the second temple, the historian Flavio Josefo, has described the site of Herodium in detail, as well as the funeral of year 4 a.E.C., but not the Tomb itself. He wrote the following: the funeral of the King occupied their attention later.

Archelaus, without omitting anything that It could contribute to its magnificence, brought all the Royal ornaments to accompany the procession in honor of the deceased. The funeral palanquin were solid, studded gold of precious stones, and had a cover of purple, embroidered in various colors: in this bed I rested the body, wrapped in a purple robe, a DIAdem surrounded his head covered by a Crown of gold, the scepter beside his right hand. Lathe of the coffin were the sons of Herod and the multitude of their families; These were followed by the guards, the contingents of THRACIANS, Germanic and Gallic, all equipped for war. The rest of the troops marched to the front, armed and in formation, led by their commanders and officers.; behind them came five hundred Freedmen of Herod being aromatic spices and servers.