The site matches the Gospel of John’s description: “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus.”
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Subscribe to the NewsletterStudies of ancient olive trees and grapevines beneath the church suggest a pre-Christian origin, though radiocarbon dating is pending.
The latest findings at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem align perfectly with the description of Jesus’ tomb in the Bible, according to the team.
Prof. Francesca Romana Stasolla of Rome’s Sapienza University told the Times of Israel that while the area was outside Jerusalem in Jesus’ time, it became part of the Roman city Aelia Capitolina under Emperor Hadrian.
The church, built where tradition holds Jesus was crucified and buried, has undergone renovations since 2022 after approval from the Orthodox, Catholic, and Armenian authorities overseeing it.
The excavation, permitted during floor replacements, is led by an Italian team from Sapienza University.
Stasolla noted, “We work in shifts, but our team in Jerusalem always comprises 10 or 12 individuals. The atmosphere here is truly unique; we have received a warm welcome.” Specialists like geologists and archaeobotanists occasionally join the dig.
The church, first built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, has endured fires and attacks. Beneath its floors, archaeologists found traces of an Iron Age quarry, later used for farming—supporting John’s Gospel mention of a garden.
“Low stone walls were built, and the space between them was filled with soil,” Stasolla explained.
“The archaeobotanical findings have been particularly interesting for us, given what is mentioned in the Gospel of John, believed to be written or compiled by someone familiar with Jerusalem at the time. The Gospel refers to a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated fields.”
Hundreds of animal bones revealed centuries of feasting by pilgrims. A 2023 report in Liber Annuus detailed remains of sheep, goats, pigs, and even Indo-Pacific fish. Stasolla added, “We also discovered several shells of a terrestrial snail species that is still consumed today.”
Excavations will resume focusing on the northern aisle. While archaeology can’t confirm Jesus’ burial, Stasolla emphasized the site’s historical and spiritual significance: “The real treasure we are discovering is the history of the people who made this site what it is by expressing their faith here.”
