Excavations beneath Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre have revealed evidence of an ancient garden, lending credence to the biblical account of Jesus’s burial site. According to a report by The Times of Israel, archaeologists uncovered traces of 2,000-year-old olive trees and grapevines beneath the church floor—matching the description in the Gospel of John.
To verify the existence of this ancient garden, researchers conducted pollen analysis and botanical studies on soil samples extracted from beneath the church floor. Though the radiocarbon dating process has not yet been completed, the findings suggest that the area was once cultivated land before becoming a burial site.
Professor Francesca Romana Stasolla from Rome’s Sapienza University, who leads the excavation, explained that during Jesus’s time, this site was located outside the city walls. However, by the 2nd century, under Emperor Hadrian, the area became part of Roman Jerusalem, known as Aelia Capitolina.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is believed to stand on the site of both Jesus’s crucifixion at Golgotha and his nearby tomb. The present church structure, completed in the 12th century, has undergone multiple reconstructions, including an 1810 renovation that established the small shrine (edicule) marking the tomb.
Archaeological layers beneath the church reveal a long and complex history, including remnants of a quarry dating back to the Iron Age (1200–586 BCE), which was later repurposed for agricultural use. Excavations have uncovered pottery, oil lamps, and other artefacts that provide a glimpse into daily life over the centuries.
The excavation, which began in 2022, is part of an ongoing restoration project agreed upon by the three religious communities overseeing the church: the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Patriarchate. Due to the site’s religious and historical sensitivity, archaeologists are working in small sections, carefully documenting their findings and reconstructing the data in laboratories in Rome.
Professor Stasolla noted that although the team cannot excavate the entire church at once, modern technology allows for digital reconstructions of the findings. The ultimate goal is to create a multimedia representation of the site’s layered history.
As excavations near completion, researchers believe their discoveries will deepen understanding of the site’s significance. Beneath the current edicule, archaeologists have identified the foundations of an earlier, circular monument—possibly part of the original structure built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century to mark the tomb of Jesus.
Though it will take years to fully analyse the vast collection of artefacts, the excavation has already provided invaluable insights into the site’s historical evolution. Stasolla emphasized that whether one believes in the historical authenticity of Jesus’s tomb or not, generations of people have venerated this place, shaping its role in the history of Jerusalem and Christian worship.
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