Archaeologists working in Jerusalem believe they have made a discovery that closely matches the Bible’s description of Jesus’ burial place. This discovery happened at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a site many Christians believe is where Jesus was crucified and buried.
Experts say that the layout and details found at the site match the verse from the Gospel of John that says Jesus was laid in a new tomb in a garden, where no one had been buried before.
Researchers studying the land beneath the ancient church found evidence of olive trees and grapevines from long ago. These plants were discovered through the analysis of soil and pollen samples taken from underneath the church. Scientists believe these findings point to a time even before Christianity began, although more tests like radiocarbon dating still need to be done to confirm the exact age.
Professor Francesca Romana Stasolla from Sapienza University of Rome explained that during the Roman Empire, a new city called Aelia Capitolina was built on top of Jerusalem. But during Jesus’ time, this area had not yet become part of the city. Today, Christian tradition holds that this very spot marks both Jesus’ crucifixion, known as Calvary or Golgotha, and his burial site.
Stasolla has been leading the excavations since they started in 2022. Before that, there were years of disagreement between the three major Christian groups who take care of the church: the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Patriarchate. But in 2019, they finally agreed to restore the church, including the 19th-century floor. That renovation opened the door for archaeological digs beneath it, which needed permission from Israel’s Antiquities Authority.
Stasolla explained in an interview that although the dig is paused right now to make space for Easter pilgrims, work will resume later. Her team, mostly made up of experts from Italy, works in shifts with about 10 to 12 people in Jerusalem at a time. She said they’ve been warmly welcomed and have built great relationships with people at the site. Occasionally, other specialists from Rome come to help with specific tasks like analyzing plant remains, rocks, and animal bones.
While much of the team stays in Rome for post-excavation work, they are using new technology to build a digital model of the entire site. Stasolla compared the excavation process to solving a puzzle one piece at a time, saying they hope to soon create a full multimedia picture of the church’s history.
Over the years, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has gone through multiple cycles of damage and repair. The original church was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine, the first Roman emperor to accept Christianity. Since then, it has been damaged by invaders and disasters like fire, with major repairs made during the Crusades in the 12th century. Stasolla said the ground under the church has layers of history like the pages of a book, starting from as early as the Iron Age, over 2,500 years ago.
The area used to be a stone quarry, which was common in Jerusalem. Archaeologists found items like pottery and oil lamps from that time. Later, after the quarry was no longer used for mining, farmers worked the land by building low stone walls and planting crops, confirming what the Gospel of John said about there being a garden near Jesus’ tomb.
Stasolla’s team also found tombs carved into the rocks from the time of Jesus. As the quarry was slowly abandoned, more tombs were added at different levels. Out of all these, Constantine chose one tomb believed to be Jesus’ and built around it to honor its importance. That tomb is now part of the circular structure called the aedicule, located under the church’s dome. Inside the excavation, they found a round marble base believed to be part of the original tomb monument built by Constantine.
They also found a collection of coins from the 4th century in one part of the church. These coins span the reigns of different Roman emperors, helping date the layers of the site. Along with that, they uncovered hundreds of animal bones, showing that people who visited the church—like pilgrims and priests—ate meat and fish there over the centuries. Some of the fish came from faraway oceans, and even the shells of snails eaten during the Crusades were found.
Their research will continue for years. So far, they’ve gathered around 100,000 pieces of pottery alone. The next phase of the excavation will focus on one final section of the church. When asked if archaeology can ever prove that Jesus was truly buried at this spot, Stasolla said we have to keep faith and history separate.
Still, she pointed out something powerful: whether people believe it or not, generations of worshippers have visited and honored this place, giving it deep historical and spiritual value. The true discovery here, she said, is the story of the people who kept this site alive through their faith. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in many ways, tells the story of Jerusalem itself—and the global story of how Jesus Christ has been worshipped across time.
