A tomb of King Herod, the legendary monarch who built ancient Jerusalem, is believed to be discovered in the Judean Desert. It's where Herod built a palace, Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer believes.

Researchers found pieces of a limestone sarcophagus believed to belong to the ancient king. Although there were no bones in the container, the sarcophagus' location and ornate appearance indicate it is Herod's.

"It's a sarcophagus we don't just see anywhere," Netzer said at a news conference. "It is something very special."

The fragments of carved limestone found at the sandy site are decorated with floral motives, but do not include any inscriptions.

Herod became the ruler of the Holy Land under the Romans around 40 B.C. The wall he built around the Old City of Jerusalem during the time of the Jewish Second Temple is the one that can be seen today. He also undertook massive construction projects in Caesaria, Jericho, the hilltop fortress of Massada and other locations.

It has long been assumed that Herod was buried at Herodium, but decades of excavations failed to turn up the site until now. The first century historian Josephus Flavius described the tomb and Herod's funeral procession.