Italian archaeologists discover links to tomb of Jesus underneath Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Italian archaeologists have discovered ancient tombs and a garden beneath Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, potentially linked to the tomb of Jesus.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of Christianity's most important shrines, has undergone restoration since 2016. During floor restoration work that began in 2022, archaeologists discovered an abandoned stone quarry, agricultural plots, a garden, and rock-cut tombs beneath the church.
Garden discovery
The discovered garden holds particular significance as the Gospel of John mentions a garden at the place of Jesus's crucifixion. The Letter to the Hebrews also notes that Jesus suffered outside the city gate, consistent with the archaeological findings.
The excavations suggest that cultivated land once lay between Golgotha, known as Calvary in the Bible's new testament, and the tomb.
Biblical connections
Archaeologists found traces of olive trees and vines dated to around 33 AD, the period typically assigned to Jesus's death. The rock-cut tombs discovered also match the Gospels' description of Jesus's tomb as a burial chamber hewn from rock.
No conclusive proof
While the findings are significant, they do not provide scientific proof that Jesus was buried at this site. There is no inscription confirming this, nor can it be shown that the tomb chamber was unused or belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, who, according to the Gospels, laid Jesus in his new rock-cut tomb.
The plant remains also cannot yet be precisely dated to the time of the crucifixion. Nevertheless, the excavations demonstrate that the site venerated by Christians for centuries has geographical and archaeological features corresponding to New Testament descriptions.
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