An archaeological discovery beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem may provide new evidence supporting the Biblical account of Jesus’ burial. Researchers uncovered the remains of an ancient garden beneath the church’s foundation, which aligns with the description in the Gospel of John. The Gospel mentions a garden near Jesus’ tomb, which the researchers believe is supported by their findings.
The team from Sapienza University of Rome analyzed plant remains and dated them to the pre-Christian era, around the time of Jesus’ crucifixion. The plant remains included evidence of olive trees and grapevines, matching descriptions from the Gospel of John, which mentions a green area between the crucifixion site and the tomb.
The discovery adds to the debate about where Jesus was buried. While many scholars believe the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the burial site due to the presence of first-century rock-cut tombs, others suggest that the Garden Tomb, another site in Jerusalem, may fit the Biblical description better.
Excavations beneath the church began during renovations in 2022, with the team finding plant remains from around 2,000 years ago. They have yet to complete radiocarbon testing to confirm the age of the samples.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre attracts nearly four million visitors annually and was built in 335 AD over a Roman temple dedicated to Venus. The church’s construction, ordered by Roman emperor Constantine I, uncovered a tomb believed to be Jesus’ from nearly 300 years earlier.
Francesca Romana Stasolla, the lead archaeologist, explained that the church is built on a quarry, with pottery and other objects found from the Iron Age. This area was later used for farmland, and the ancient quarry was repurposed as a cemetery with tombs carved into rocks.
The team also found a circular marble base beneath the shrine believed to be Jesus’ tomb. They plan to conduct further tests to determine its age and origin.
