Tomb of Samuel

Tomb of Samuel

Nabi Samwil mosque built on remains of Crusader-era fortress; the Tomb of Samuel is in a crypt below the Mamluk building.
Shown within State of Palestine
Coordinates	31°49′59″N 35°10′54″E / 31.832978°N 35.181633°E / 31.832978; 35.181633

The Tomb of Samuel (Arabic: النبي صموئيل, translit. an-Nabi Samu'il or Nebi Samwil, Hebrew: קבר שמואל הנביא, translit. Kever Shmuel ha-Navi), commonly known as Nebi Samuel or Nebi Samwil, is the traditional burial site of the biblical prophet Samuel, atop a steep hill at an elevation of 908 m (2,979 ft) above sea level, in the Palestinian village of Nabi Samwil, in the West Bank.^[1]

The site is of both religious and archaeological interest. In the 6th century, a monastery was built at the site in honor of Samuel, and during the early Arab period the place was known as Dir Samwil (the Samuel Monastery).^[2] In the 12th century, during the Crusader period, a fortress was built on the area.^[2]

The present structure is a mosque from the 14th century, built during the Mamluk period.^[2] The purported tomb itself is in an underground chamber which has been repurposed after 1967 as a synagogue, today with separate prayer areas for Jewish men and women.

Since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank after the Six-Day War, the site is managed by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.