Roland de Vaux's Field Notes on the Qumran Graves
(Translated by Catherine Murphy)

De Vaux excavated 41 graves from 1951-1956. His field notes have been published in Jean-Baptiste Humbert and A. Chambon, Fouilles de Khirbet Qumrân et de Aïn Feshkha I, NTOA, Series Archaeologica 1. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1994. The translation below is from that edition.

Tomb	Location of Tomb	Type	Loculus Location	Loculus Cover	Depths	Location/Orientation of Skeleton	Condition of Skeleton	Other Features	Parts Removed	Grave Goods
1 1949						De Vaux wrote no notes on the excavation of this grave.
2 1949						De Vaux wrote no notes on the excavation of this grave.
3 11.24.51	main; south n-s	shaft-niche	west wall	- stones covered in masonry	- first stones .7 m - platform 1.6 m - shaft 2 m	- head s, feet n - on back, face to east - hands crossed at pelvis, legs straight	- head crushed by stone cover of loculus	- head on stone "pillow" - loculus = shape of body - large tomb	head, pelvis	--
4 11.24-25.51	main; south e-w	shaft-niche	north wall	- inclined brick slabs; 5 still in place (others fallen in)	- loculus begins at .8 m - shaft 1.8 m	- head e, feet w - on back, hands on pelvis	- head crushed, but skullcap and jaws intact - chest in good shape - feet crushed		head, broken pelvis	1 cylindrical jar, avg. opening, 2 handles (frgs. only); at .5 m depth in fill
5 11.25-26.51	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- 6 slabs grey sandstone, like tomb 3 - last stone fallen in - filled with masonry	- no platform; straight shaft	- head s, feet n - on back, hands on pelvis	- head crushed - pelvis broken	- lg. tomb covered w/ small rocks - head and foot stones	skull (crumbled), pelvis (in 3 pieces)	--
6 11.27-28.51	main; north n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- n end-lg cut stone - s end and rest-3 flagstones - interstices filled w/ stones	- no platform	- head s, feet n - on back	- face partially crushed by one of fill stones (lower jawbone damaged) - chest also crushed - teeth of lower jaw intact - curiously, no trace of pelvis (dissolved by moisture?)		head	--
7 11.28.51	main; north n-s	shaft			- no platform	- head s, feet n - on back, face to east - right hand on pelvis, left hand on breast	- measures only 1.6 m - large pelvis	- grave cut in broken stones hollowed out just to summit of clay bed	head and large pelvis	--
8 11.29-12.1.51	main; north n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- 12 long limestone slabs		There is one, but there is no description.		- at surface, cut stones of avg. size - but breadth of grave somewhat large		--
9 (=Tomb A) 12.1.51	north n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- bricks	- no platform	- head s, feet n - on back - hands alongside body		- grave under bed of gravely material - loculus cut in white clay mixed with lg stones	head, pelvis	--
10 (=Tomb B) 12.1.51	north n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- bricks	- platform	- head s, feet n - on back, head raised - hands alongside body		- under gravel - tomb cut in clay	head, pelvis	--
11 12.1-2.51	main, middle extension n-s	shaft				- REINHUMATION - bones lie under 2 large flagstones, in heaps - head s, but face against earth - skeleton "reassembled"; part of hand and long bones of legs arranged in bundles flowing from head	- no trace of pelvis, vertebrae or jaws	- stones covering tomb at surface are smaller than other graces - irregular shaft and oval pit	head	--
12 3.7-9.53	main; north n-s	shaft-niche		- rough bricks; only one near head still in place - inclined at 60° angle	- 1.1 m deep - 1.8 m long	- head s, feet n - on back, face turned to e - hands joined on pelvis	- bones in bad shape; only top of skull and mandible are preserved		"skeleton"	--
13 3.7-9.53	main; north n-s	shaft-niche		- rough bricks, .1 m thick - made of earth mixed with many sherds of Qumran-type pottery - inclined at one time	- 1.6 m depth - 1 m loculus - 1.9 m length - platform	- head s, feet n - on back - hands joined at pelvis	- bones entirely broken - part of pelvis preserved	- grave stuffed with clay near top (to keep surface even?)	"skeleton"	Qumran-type pottery mixed with bricks of loculus cover
14 3.9-10.53	main; center n-s	shaft-niche		- rough bricks - originally nearly horizontal; now fallen in	- 2 m deep - 1.4 m to loculus - 2 m length - platform	- on back - hands joined at pelvis	- bones poorly preserved (bricks have crushed them)	- at surface, stones carefully constructed into a regular rectangle - dressed stones at head and foot	"skeleton"	large piece of Qumran-type pottery (jar) in fill (no sherds in bricks)
15 3.10-11.53	main; center n-s	shaft-niche		- rough bricks (no sherds) - almost vertical in s end; but 15° angle at n end - middle bricks fallen in	- 1.7 m deep - 1.3 m to loculus - 2 m length - platform (formed by blockage of earth)	- head s, feet n - on back, face normal position (toward feet) - right arm alongside body, left hand on pelvis	- head, pelvis, right arm well-preserved	- stretched-out pile of stones at surface - 2 elevated stones at n and s	"skeleton"	Qumran-type jar in fill, broken in antiquity
16 3.11-23.53	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- no trace of one; but compact red clay mixed with sherds around skeletons could be remains of bricks, dissolved by humidity (trail of green clay too)	- 1.65 m deep - 1.15 m deep loculus -2.55 m length (narrower at feet)	TWO SKELETONS #1 - bast of shaft facing w - right hand on pelvis, left hand alongside body #2 - in a kind of loculus on e wall - "carelessly compressed" so that #1 could be fit into same tomb: left shoulder under head, right shoulder on chin - right hand on pelvis, left alongside body	- heads in bad shape - some frgs. of pelvis preserved	- earthen platform at surface, somewhat regular and and rectangular - 2 stones elevated at n, s - surfaced with small stones, surrounded by larger ones	2 heads first, then both skeletons	sherds originally mixed in with red bricks
17 3.12-31.53	main; north n-s	shaft			- coffin 1.7 m down - grave .4 m deep; 2 m long	COFFIN - coffin worm-eaten - bones completely mixed up after inhumation here by fall of debris, water?: right shoulder in s with left arm, pelvis, legs - no trace of right arm - spine, ribs, head mized together above pelvis	- skull in pieces	- large oval circle of stones at surface - large flagstones at either end	"skeleton" and coffin preserved in wax	[coffin]
18 3.16-26.53	main; north n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- flagstones and re-used door sill - practically vertical	- 2 m to bottom - .4 m depth (actual grave) - 2.5 m long	COFFIN - coffin fairly well-preserved; no trace of cover - head s, feet n - on back, right hand on pelvis	- skull crushed by fallen stone - otherwise well-preserved	- circle of medium-sized cut stone, c. 2-3 m in diameter - large headstone at s (.73 m tall)	skeleton and coffin preserved in wax	[coffin] door sill (reused for loculus cover)
19 3.14-26.53	main; north n-s	shaft (dent; not really niche)	east wall	- rough clay bricks; sherds mixed in - below, worm-eaten collapsed wood cover	- 1.4 m shaft - .5 m to grave - 1.7 m long	COFFIN - though only top piece partly extant; sides destroyed - head north, feet s - on back; right hand alongside flank; left hand on pelvis	- head crushed; otherwise well-preserved	- small circle touching #18 - in center, large stone covered a more-or-less circular cavity filled with gravel - different from other graves	attempted to preserve coffin in wax; unsuccessful skull, pelvis	sherd-clay mix in loculus bricks
20 2.21-24.56	main; center n-s	[shaft-niche]		- bricks have collapsed		- head s, feet n - on back, face toward e - both hands on pelvis	- fairly well-preserved - male 30-35 yrs.	- circle of stones, c..7 m avg. diameter		--
21 2.21-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- inclined bricks		- head s, feet n - on back, face turned a little to e - hands crossed on pelvis	- male, 35 yrs.			--
22 2.21-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- inclined bricks		- head s, feet n - head and shoulders lying on right side - face turned e	- male 30-35 yrs.			--
23 2.21-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- 6 large bricks and stones jammed with little stones - partly fallen in		REINHUMATION? - seems that skeleton has slipped toward s - spinal column curved in "s" under head; shoulders rise higher - on back; hands on pelvis, left leg crossed over right one	- bones crushed by bricks and stones - male c.50 yrs.			some sherds from belly of large jar in fill
24 2.21-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- stone and earth - 5 stones filled with smaller ones	at ordinary depth	REINHUMATION 2 SKELETONS - 2 sets of bones have been stacked neatly: one head at n, one at south - small bones have been scattered between them	#1: male, c.18-20 yrs. #2: male, c.25 yrs., but much smaller	- grave pit small, but reinhumation (does not need to be large)		--
25 2.22-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- bricks covered with clay earth - same size as other tombs		- "in ordinary position" - on back - body has slipped toward s as in ##22, 29	- head and breast damaged/engulfed by earth - male, c.50 yrs.	- no photograph		--
26 2.22-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche (barely)	east wall	- bricks and stones		- head s, feet n - on back, face turned slightly to e - hands on pelvis	- fairly well-preserved - male 35-40 yrs.	- barely a loculus; merges right into wall		2262 Qumran-type lamp (in fill); intact
27 2.21-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-[niche]		- bricks		- head s, feet n	- skeleton very damaged by fall of rocks - bones fragile due to humidity of earth - male less that 30 yrs.	- soil here very "mobile" - east edge shored up by n-s wall of small stones and bricks in front of them - no real nich/loculus; not really set apart from grave pit		piece of jar stuck to brick
28 2.21-24.56	main; center nw-se	shaft-niche	east wall	- 3 rough bricks and a stone - middle bricks have fallen in		- head s, feet n - on back, face turned e - "ordinary position"	- head well-preserved - but long bones along right edge have been broken - male 22-23 yrs.	- at north, whole body covered in clay earth		--
29 2.22-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- stones		- tomb like others, except skeleton has slipped to s - shoulder has risen, spinal column is dislocated and twisted - head is on right - left leg crossed over right leg	- male near 40 yrs.	- opening of grave a little bigger than normal		--
30 2.22-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- bricks that are now destroyed		- "normal position"	- completely crushed and reduced to dust - male, 30-35 yrs.		hasty "recovery," but then abandoned	3 lg pieces of jar in fill (near platform)
31 2.22-24.56	main; center n-s	shaft-niche	east wall	- 5 flagstones of grey sandstone, fallen in to loculus			- male 25-30 yrs.			--
32 2.23-24.56	main; south extension e-w	shaft		no cover		COFFIN DUST - head w, feet e - body bent, lying on right side, facing n - hands lifted in front of body, bent at wrist	- bones browned underneath from coffin dust - woman 30-35 yrs	- stones much bigger at surface - grave narrow and a little long - 138x42 cm		2663 bronze ring on finger 2664 19 beads (near right foot)
33 3.9-10.56	main; south extension e-w	shaft				COFFIN DUST - head w, feet e - body on right side, one leg a little bent, arms crossed over chest - face turned a little to north - bones browned underneath from coffin dust - woman (de Vaux)	- head well-preserved			2665 2 earrings
34 3.9-10.56	main; south extension e-w	shaft-niche	north wall	- 6 stones still in place, interspersed with sm stones in joints		- head w, feet e - on back, head turned to n - hands on pelvis		- clay bed underneath		--
35 3.9-10.56	main; south extension e-w	shaft-niche (barely)	south wall	- 6 stones, with little stones in joints	- .4 m down (shallow)	- head w, feet e - body lying on right side, one leg slightly bent, face looking s - hands on pelvis		- clay bed		--
36 3.10-11.56	main; south extension e-w	shaft-niche	south wall	- stones and small stones		- head w, feet e - body on right side; arms along body and legs a little bent - face turned to s	- infant ± 6 years	- narrow grave		--
37 3.10.56	main; south extension n-s	shaft			- 1 m down; becomes irregular	- REINHUMATION? - head n, feet s - but head not in place; broken and under femur bones (down at legs and feet)	- chest, pelvis and femurs remain connected/in place - head under feet/legs	- oval at surface filled with smallstones, not large ones as in most Qumran graves		--
South 1 3.25.56	south e-w	shaft				- head w, feet e - body on right side, face turned n	- bones very crushed - teeth of lower jab gone - woman 30-40 yrs	- narrow and deep grave		2670 30 beads near ankle (27 colored stones, 3 glass) 2671 2 earrings
South 2 3.25.56	south n-s	shaft				- head s, feet n - body on right side - face turned e	- infant 6 yrs.	- no loculus, but bones protected by series of leaning stones		--
South 3 3.26.56	south e-w	shaft				- head w, feet e - body on right side; arms stretched alongside body - face turned s	- young person, 10 yrs.			--
South 4 3.26.53	south e-w	shaft				- head w, feet e - lying on back, chest facing s, hands on pelvis - face turned s	- young person	- irregular		--