Archaeologists' 'incredible discovery' as they 'find' Jesus tomb

Daily Record

12-05-2025

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has been the subject of an ongoing excavation, which has now confirmed the existence of a garden and new burial chamber as detailed in the Bible
Recent findings of an ancient structure in Jerusalem match precisely with the biblical description of Jesus' tomb.
The exact location, as described in the Gospel of John, has been revealed by architects working at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem: "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus."
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Archaeobotanical and pollen analysis conducted on samples taken from beneath the ancient basilica's floor confirmed the presence of olive trees and grapevines. These discoveries suggest that the site dates back to the pre-Christian era, although radiocarbon testing is still pending.
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Prof Francesca Romana Stasolla of the Sapienza University of Rome told the Times of Israel: "We know that the area was already part of the city at the time of Emperor Hadrian when the Romans built Aelia Capitolina," referring to the Roman city constructed atop the ruins of Jerusalem in the first half of the 2nd century CE. She added: "However, at the time of Jesus, the area was not part of the city yet."
Christian tradition holds that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre marks the spot of Jesus' crucifixion (known as Calvary or Golgotha) and his nearby tomb, which today is topped by an aedicule erected in 1810, reports the Express.
Stasolla has been leading the charge in the excavations that began in 2022, following an agreement reached by the church's primary custodians - the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Patriarchate - in 2019, after protracted internal disagreements. The revamp includes updating the basilica's predominantly 19th-century floor, marking the most substantial restoration since the fire of 1808.
The Israel Antiquities Authority issued a permit for the dig, ensuring it met the nation's legal stipulations for archaeological work.
"During the renovation works, the religious communities decided to also permit archaeological excavations beneath the floor," Stasolla disclosed to The Times of Israel in her initial detailed discussion concerning the project.
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She added: "However, currently, we do not have any active excavation sites as the church is preparing for Easter, when it needs to be fully accessible to pilgrims."
She highlighted the critical nature of handling such a sensitive site with extreme care due to its importance and practical demands.
The archaeological team consists exclusively of Italians affiliated with La Sapienza University. Stasolla commented: "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 and established strong bonds with everyone."
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Occasionally, experts in specific fields such as geologists, archaeobotanists, or archaeozoologists from Rome work alongside the archaeologists in Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was under renovation in March 2025.
"We take turns, but our team in Jerusalem always includes 10 or 12 people," Stasolla said. "The atmosphere here is very special; we have been welcomed warmly and built strong relationships with everyone."
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Occasionally, specialists like geologists, archaeobotanists, or archaeozoologists from Rome join the archaeological team in Jerusalem.
Archaeologists from Rome's Sapienza University are currently digging at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Archivio Università di Roma La Sapienza).
"However, most of our team remains based in Rome, where we send the data for the post-production work," Stasolla explains.
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"While we have not been able to see the entire church excavated in one glance, new technologies are allowing us to reconstruct the bigger picture in our labs," Stasolla said. "If we were talking about a puzzle, we could say we are only excavating one piece at a time, but eventually, we will have a complete multimedia reconstruction of the full picture."
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a site of immense historical significance in Jerusalem, has endured cycles of destruction and restoration over many centuries. Originally built by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, who was the first to convert to Christianity, it faced devastation from a fire set by Persians in the seventh century and was attacked by Caliph al-Hakim in 1009.
Its current structure owes much to the extensive renovations carried out during the Crusader period in the 12th century. According to Stasolla, the hidden layers beneath the church's floor provide a remarkable chronicle of Jerusalem's past, tracing back to the Iron Age (1200-586 BCE).
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"The church is built on a quarry, which isn't surprising as a large portion of the Old City of Jerusalem is situated on a quarry," said Stasolla. "The quarry was operational during the Iron Age. During our excavation, we discovered pottery, lamps, and other everyday items from that era."
After the quarry fell into disuse and before the church was constructed, the area was repurposed for agricultural activities.
"Low stone walls were constructed, and the space between them was filled with soil," detailed Stasolla. "The archaeobotanical findings have been particularly intriguing 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."
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Remarkable discoveries tied to the era of Constantine have surfaced at a Jerusalem site that traces back to the time of Jesus. The area served as both a quarry and a necropolis, with numerous rock-hewn tombs scattered across different levels.
"We need to imagine that as the quarry was progressively abandoned, tombs were carved at different levels.
"The area, therefore, featured several burials from that period. Constantine selected the one that had been venerated as the tomb where Jesus was buried, and he excavated around it in the area that corresponds to the current rotunda, isolating it from the other burials."
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Within the grounds of the Holy Sepulchre complex rest various ancient sepulchres, including one honoured by Christian tradition as belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, who is said to have provided his own tomb for Jesus' burial.
Professor Francesca Stasolla's research group encountered an array of artefacts regarded as dating from the fourth century. Digging beneath the contemporary edifice, she found: "Under the current aedicule, we found a circular basis that is part of the first monumentalization of the tomb, made out of marble."
Stasolla underscored the finding's importance, noting: "It is interesting because the most ancient depictions of the aedicule, which date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, describe it as circular. We therefore believe that this circular basis was part of the original structure built by Constantine."
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The artifact, spanning an impressive six meters across, may uncover new secrets about the revered edifice's history. "We are conducting geological analysis to verify the origin of the marble, and we are also testing the mortar," shared Stasolla, suggesting these tests could be pivotal in understanding the construction.
Remarkably, a trove of centuries-old coins dating back to the fourth century has been uncovered in the eastern part of the current rotunda. The oldest coin is from the reign of Constantius II (337–361 CE), with others from the era of Valens (374–378 CE).
Adding to their findings, the team unearthed numerous animal bones that highlight a history of feasting by priests and pilgrims.
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A 2023 preliminary report in "Liber Annuus," a peer-reviewed journal, documents a structural trench from the Crusader period and a modern manhole pit excavation, which revealed animal remains, fish, and shells.
Stasolla further revealed: "We also discovered several shells of a terrestrial snail species that is still consumed today," a species tracing its expansion around the Mediterranean after the Crusades.
The archaeologist highlighted the need for thorough analysis of the discovered bones to gain a deeper insight into the changing dietary habits of those who lived in and frequented the Church over the ages.
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It's expected that the scientific examination of all the findings from the dig, which includes some 100,000 shards of pottery, will span several years. Despite this, the digs are set to restart post-Easter and are projected to wrap up within months.
"We only have a part of the northern aisle left to excavate," Stasolla disclosed.
When asked whether archaeology could ever conclusively prove if Jesus was indeed interred at the Holy Sepulchre, Stasolla underscored the importance of distinguishing between faith and historical fact.
"However, it is the faith of those who have believed in the sanctity of this site for millennia that has allowed it to exist and evolve," she noted. "This is true for all holy sites.
"The real treasure we are discovering is the history of the people who made this site what it is by expressing their faith here," she added. "Whether someone believes or not in the historicity of the Holy Sepulchre, the fact that generations of people did is objective. The history of this place is the history of Jerusalem, and from a certain point, it is the history of the worship of Jesus Christ."