The Zechariah most commonly associated with the Mount of Olives is the 6th-century BCE prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, who predicted that the Mount of Olives would split under God’s feet in the End of Days, signaling the Resurrection of the Dead.
However, the structure on the foothills of this hill, known as the Tomb of Zechariah, traditionally marks the tomb of another Zechariah, the son of Johiada, a High Priest of the First Temple in the 8th and 9th-centuries BCE. According to the Bible in 2 Chronicles 24:20, Zechariah was stoned to death after he dared to speak out against Judean King Jehoash.
The Tomb of Zechariah is a monolithic structure, meaning it is carved entirely out of rock, and therefore does not contain an actual burial chamber. The Tomb consists of a three-step base and a stylobate topped by a pyramid. The construction style includes Ionic columns and other minute Hellenic detailing, all of which are concentrated on the Western side of the monument.
Scholars have dated the structure to the 1st century CE, and even if it isn't the actual tomb of Zechariah the son of Johiada, it is still an impressive, remarkably well-preserved example of Hellenic architecture.
