It took years of dedicated research for a team of leading Israel archaeologists to uncover the burial place of Herod the Great, the Roman king of ancient Judea. Then in May 2007 they uncovered the ruler’s mausoleum in the Judean desert south-east of Jerusalem. To date, historical sites uncovered in Israel have been restored with great attention to detail, using the original materials to rebuild and sometimes just suggest the grandeur of days bygone – as is the case in another famous structure erected by Herod, the fortress at Masada.

But it seems the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) is unwilling to invest the time in such elaborate recovery. At the beginning of this year, a huge light-weight plastic replica of the king’s final resting place was placed at the site, where the Authority also plans to build a visitor centre. Several archaeologists have responded with outrage, complaining that the Herodion should not be equated with Disneyland. To which the INPA replied: “Disneyland attracts 50,000 visitors a day.” The question remains: What would Herod have done?