Tomb of Joshua the High Priest

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Tomb of Joshua the High Priest
Ezra Dangoor, Chief Rabbi of Baghdad from 1923 to 1926, standing next to the tomb.
LocationSheikh Ma'ruf Cemetery in Baghdad, Iraq
TypeMaqam
History
Cultures
Site notes
ConditionPreserved

The Tomb of Joshua the High Priest (Hebrew: קבר יהושע הכהן הגדול, Arabic: مرقد يشوع الكاهن) is a site that traditionally houses the burial site of Joshua the High Priest. The shrine is located on the Karkh side of Baghdad, Iraq, and has been a historically important site for the Baghdadi Jewish population as well as Muslims. Although the city's Jewish population has since left Baghdad, the shrine is still preserved and visited by locals. The burial site is also mistaken by some to be the tomb of the Abrahamic prophet Joshua.

Background

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Main article: Joshua the High Priest

Joshua, unrelated to the Abrahamic prophet, was mentioned in several books of the Hebrew Bible, such as the Book of Zechariah and the Book of Ezra, as the first High Priest during the reconstruction of the Jewish Temple after the return of the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity.[1] He was among the leaders instrumental in inspiring in a momentum towards the reconstruction of the temple after its destruction.[2] Another figure instrumental in the return of Jews was Ezra, whose tomb is located in Iraq.

History

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The site was first built in the 6th century BCE by Iraqi Jews, and has since become a significant religious building.[3] It's located in the Sheikh Ma'ruf Cemetery near the Abbasid Zumurrud Khatun Mausoleum in Karkh. It had historically been respected by both Arabs and Jews.[4][5] It is also a pilgrimage site for Jews where Shavuot is celebrated.[6] The London Jewish Expositor reported on 20 April 1825 that it was one hour away from proper Baghdad, and witnessed Jewish gatherings that sang songs and chanted prayers dedicated to Joshua the High Priest.[7] Around the shrine are also tombs dedicated to several Baghdadi Jewish notables such as hakham Abdallah Somekh, and Jacob ben Joseph Harofe.[3]

During World War II, after the government of Rashid Ali al-Gilani was expelled, some Iraqi officers loyal to al-Gilani began riots on 1 June 1941 on a road that led to the shrine. The riots targeted the Jews who were on their way to celebrate Shavuot. Some sources say those riots would eventually lead to the events of the farhud.[8] Although the attack, which some sources report was on young Jews attending Shavuot in the shrine, was unrelated.[9] In the 21st century, the shrine saw preservation but most of the Jewish text have since been removed.[4]

Although the site is largely agreed to be the tomb of Joshua the High Priest, it is also mistaken to be the tomb of Joshua the prophet. 11th century Muslim scholar al-Khatib al-Baghdadi mistakenly refers to it as the tomb of the Prophet in one of his History of Baghdad volumes.[10] The New York Times published in an article from 20 February 2021 that showed that locals have also rebranded the shrine as belonging to the prophet Joshua since the disappearance of the Iraqi Jewish population.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Zechariah 6:9–14 and Ezra 3
  2. ^ Ezra 10:18
  3. ^ a b Miri, Adhid (2025-08-31). "Jewish Shrines in Iraq: A Shared Heritage". Chaldean News. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
  4. ^ a b "Joshua(not Josuha ibn Nūn) the High Priest | Iraqi Jews(Babylon Jews)". www.babylonjews.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2025-10-19.
  5. ^ Yehuda 2006, p. 13.
  6. ^ Yehuda 2025, p. 55.
  7. ^ American Missionary Register. United Foreign Missionary Society. 1825. p. 280.
  8. ^ Yehuda 2025, pp. 55–56.
  9. ^ Yehuda 2025, p. 57.
  10. ^ Al-Baghdadi, Al-Khatib. History of Baghdad. Vol. 1. p. 121.
  11. ^ Arraf, Jane (20 February 2021). "Tomb of Joshua, Revered Prophet, Beckons Believers in Baghdad (Published 2021)". Retrieved 2025-10-19.

Books cited

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