Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Eve's Tomb

An archaeological site believed to be the burial place of the "mother of us all"

The site of the tomb in the 1920s
Photo by

Contributors: brookwl

On the gates of one of the oldest cemeteries in the Al Balad neighborhood of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, there's a small sign reading "Our Mother Eve." Inside, there's a tomb believed by many to be the burial place of Eve, as in Adam and Eve. It is estimated that the tomb was 120 meters long, three metres wide and six metres high, before its condition began to deteriorate decades ago, due to the neglect of Wahhabist authorities who believe paying too much attention to a grave site is likely to lead to idolatry. Nonetheless, Muslim tradition holds that after Adam and Eve were kicked out of Eden, they went their separate ways: Adam to Mecca, where he built the sacred Kaaba; and Eve to Jeddah, an entry point for pilgrims to Mecca. The tomb is mentioned in many classic travel narratives from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and still draws admirers.

Eve's Tomb is sponsored by Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden

Hours
Website
- Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities

Address

Jeddah, 23325, Saudi Arabia
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Sources

http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/...
^ Burton, Richard Francis The Book Of One Thousand Nights And A Night, p. 358
Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence, Chapter VIII
Beyond The Dunes: An Anthology of Modern Saudi Literature, by Manṣūr Ibrāhīm Ḥāzimī, Salma Khadra Jayyusi